Cultural heritage is the legacy of human history as each generation creates new objects and curates those objects passed down to it. These objects may be ephemeral, and even durable objects may suffer damage from use, storage or display. Conservation aims to preserve these objects and their cultural value for future generations.
The conservation of cultural heritage can be challenging. The objects range from small personal items to buildings, and may be made from organic, polymeric ceramic or metallic materials. Many older objects will have undergone multiple (often unsuitable) conservation treatments, so successful conservation requires careful consideration and interdisciplinary working at the interfaces between science, engineering, design, art and cultural heritage.
A group of researchers and conservators are united to evaluate current technologies and investigate new solutions to conserve objects. Their aim is to achieve sustainable and reversible treatments, e.g. for cleaning, coating or adhering for repair. The solutions involve and applying advanced imaging or analysis techniques to understand the problems. Computational simulation and cutting-edge engineering technologies can identify new techniques such as smart interfaces and resoluble coatings. This will generate practical solutions which can be applied readily by conservators to preserve our shared cultural heritage.
Research champion
Ambrose Taylor
Ambrose is a Reader in Materials Engineering in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and is the leader of the ‘Nanomaterials’ group which specialises in the characterisation and modelling of particle-modified thermoset polymers. He has researched the impact and durability performance of rubber-toughened structural epoxy adhesives, and quantitatively predicted the lifetime of adhesive joints in fatigue.
His current work is investigating the structure/property relationship of thermoset/inorganic hybrids, using epoxy, acrylic and cyanate ester polymers. He also has interests in using other nanomodifiers (e.g. layered silicates, carbon nanotubes and silica nanoparticles) as tougheners for thermosets. He is also investigating the microstructure and properties of epoxy adhesives modified with combinations of micro- and nanoparticles. The applications of these materials include structural adhesives, coatings and as the matrices of fibre-composite materials. He has held a prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering Post-doctoral Research Fellowship and a Royal Society Mercer Award for Innovation.
Academic expertise
Alexander Bismarck
Alexander Bismarck
Chemical Engineering
Bamber Blackman
Bamber Blackman
Mechanical Engineering
Bernadette Byrne
Bernadette Byrne
Life Sciences
Claire Adjiman
Claire Adjiman
Chemical Engineering
Connor Myant
Connor Myant
Design Engineering
Dan Balint
Dan Balint
Mechanical Engineering
Daniele Dini
Daniele Dini
Mechanical Engineering
David J. Payne
David J. Payne
Materials
Fabian Sorce
Fabian Sorce
Mechanical Engineering
Fernando Bresme
Fernando Bresme
Chemistry
George Jackson
George Jackson
Chemical Engineering
Ifan Stephens
Ifan Stephens
Materials
Isabella von Holstein
Isabella von Holstein
Institute for Molecular Science and Engineering
Janet Wong
Janet Wong
Mechanical Engineering
Jason Hallett
Jason Hallett
Chemical Engineering
Jerry Heng
Jerry Heng
Chemical Engineering
Joao Cabral
Joao Cabral
Chemical Engineering
Lorenzo Picinali
Lorenzo Picinali
Dyson School of Design Engineering
Manjula Silva
Manjula Silva
Materials
Marc Masen
Marc Masen
Mechanical Engineering
Maria Charalambides
Maria Charalambides
Mechanical Engineering
Mark Sephton
Mark Sephton
Earth Science & Engineering
Michael Paraskos
Michael Paraskos
Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication
Mike Lowe
Mike Lowe
Mechanical Engineering
Milo Shaffer
Milo Shaffer
Chemistry
Nic Harrison
Nic Harrison
Chemistry
Oscar Ces
Oscar Ces
Chemistry
Pier Luigi Dragotti
Pier Luigi Dragotti
Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Roger Kneebone
Roger Kneebone
Surgery & Cancer
Rupert Myers
Rupert Myers
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Salvador Eslava
Salvador Eslava
Chemical Engineering
Sergei Kazarian
Sergei Kazarian
Chemical Engineering
Tony Constantinides
Tony Constantinides
Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Weston Baxter
Weston Baxter
Dyson School of Design Engineering
Yannis Hardalupas
Yannis Hardalupas
Mechanical Engineering