EFFACEUR · InnovativE anti-graFFiti product for Application in the Cultural Heritage of EURope

Graffiti attacks and associated cleaning procedures cost Europe ca. 90 million € / year. Cultural Heritage (CH) is a typical market for SMEs because they provide specific case-by-case solutions; however at present these SMEs cannot offer suitable protection measures against graffiti on CH buildings and monuments, as anti-graffiti coatings are hard to find on the market for the type of materials found in CH. Furthermore the products used in CH must follow the strict guidelines of conservation practice. The development of specific CH anti-graffiti products has been delayed due to the conflicting requirements, high financial risk and lack of R&D infrastructures of the SMEs. Therefore, EFFACEUR is a clear opportunity for them to increase their competitiveness and economic benefit. Previously, the GRAFFITAGE project attracted much attention worldwide because of the innovative approach proposed to solve this problem, which consisted in the development of a polymeric charge complex with proven anti-graffiti behaviour suitable CH materials. The SME partners of EFFACEUR propose to use this novel formulation as the basis for a new anti-graffiti product that will satisfy this market. Thus, EFFACEUR aims at further developing, uspcaling and transferring into the market this novel protective anti-graffiti formulation. More specifically, EFFACEUR will develop a new route for upscaling the anti-graffiti marketable prototype product and will optimize it so that it is industrially viable. Initially, new routes for the upscaling of the 2 main components of the anti-graffiti formulation will be developed. Based on these 2 components, the final anti-graffiti upscaled formulation will be produced. In the laboratory, the most adequate application and cleaning method for the product will be defined, and its properties will be studied (durability, reversibility, compatibility). Finally, the anti-graffiti product will be validated in real case studies.