Limes improved with graphene nanoparticles: a composite material for the protection of the architectural heritage

Much of the world's architectural heritage was built with limestone, due to its easy quarrying, mechanical strength and fire resistance. This type of buildings are subject to degradation problems by chemical, physical and biological phenomena, due to their interactions with the surrounding environment, which determine the increasing of the structural vulnerability of the building. Mortar and plaster based on lime are the commonly used materials for the maintenance works of architectural heritage, due to their compatibility with the original materials of the construction. However, their low mechanical strength prevents their use in structural consolidation. These paper aims to describe research activities to be undertaken in order to improve the mechanical properties of the lime mortar by using graphene nanoparticles.