In situ diagnosis of cultural heritage using NMR techniques

This study presents applications of portable Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) technology to stone and wood materials through NMR profiles. First, the results of consolidation and protection treatments with hydrophobic agents on sand-stones from the cemetery of Hoppenlau, Stuttgart, are presented and discussed. The second case study focuses on measurements of the Holy Thursday altarpiece in the sacristy of the Freising Cathedral, Bavaria. Portable NMR instrumentation was successfully applied, demonstrating the ability of this non-invasive and non-destructive technique to investigate the porous structure of cultural heritage materials.