Preventing Glass Alteration in Museum Objects using ALD Deposited Amorphous Alumina Coatings

The chemistry and kinetics of glass alteration have been topics of considerable study and debate over the past several decades. While work is still progressing in understanding the mechanisms by which glass degrades, what has not been as well studied are methods of slowing or preventing the alteration of glass surfaces and objects. This is of significant interest to the heritage science community, where the breakdown of historic glass or glass art objects is proceeding, with few viable options available to museum conservators to mitigate its effects. Experimental measurements using atomic layer deposited (ALD) aluminum oxide coatings on a model silicate glass show a significant reduction of the rate of glass alteration.