Acromym: IMAT
Project title: INTELLIGENT MOBILE MULTIPURPOSE ACCURATE THERMOELECTRICAL (IMAT) MILD HEATING DEVICE FOR ART CONSERVATION
Coordinating institution: 1 (Coordinator) University of Florence UNIFI Italy
Dates: 2011 2013
Participant countries:
2 Future Carbon FC Germany
3 Laura Amorosi Restauro LAR Italy
4 Stichting Restauratie Atelier Limburg SRAL The Netherlands
5 Lorenzo Conti LC Italy
6 Nardini Editore NE Italy
7 C.T.S. Italy
8 Reuther Verpackungen GmbH & Co. KG RV Germany
9 Istituto per l’Arte e il Restauro Palazzo Spinelli IPS Italy
Subject area(s): conservation and restoration
Abstract:
The IMAT project is made possible through joint cross-discipline research and support from the European
Commission under the Seventh Framework Program (FP7), and corresponds seamlessly to the proposal call
to integrate cutting edge research in nanotechnology with that of cultural heritage conservation. To promote
and implement the application of best practices in conservation of cultural heritage in the EU and
worldwide a consortium of researchers from Germany, the Netherlands and Italy, representing expertise in
the areas of art conservation, nanotechnology, and thermo-electrical engineering, will design “from the
bottom up” a series of portable, highly accurate flexible heaters and the associated methodology
specifically for art conservation, employing, but not limited to, the new technology of carbon nanotubes
(CNT). CNT materials allow for the design of thin, lightweight, even transparent, stretchable and woven
mild heaters with low power needs as an ultra-portable, versatile and efficient alternative for diverse
thermal treatments in diverse areas of art conservation.
Project objectives:
The project was conceived with a research-based objective, focusing on the creation of the IMAT device
and associated treatment methodology in order to improve the quality, accessibility and cost effectiveness
of a fundamental tool for art conservators in Europe and globally. Another important goal of the
Consortium is to make the information generated through the IMAT project as accessible as possible,
through the presentation of research at conferences, publication in peer-reviewed journals, the filing of
papers on Open Access sites, as well as through a dedicated website, workshops and symposia. It is also
the Consortium’s desire to involve participants from a wide spectrum of treatment traditions during the
field-testing phase to gain the best insight into design improvements and to improve the range of potential
applications of the IMAT, as well as to facilitate discussion on the use of new instrumentation and
conservation methods leading to common strategies.
Project website: https://www.imatproject.eu
Outcome in terms of pubblications: