Formation of Strontianite and Witherite Cohesive Layers on Calcite Surfaces for Building Stone Conservation

The formation of micrometric-thick mineral cohesive layers is a novel method to prevent the deterioration of historical buildings. Here, we study the formation of thin, cohesive, pseudomorphic shells of strontianite (SrCO3) and witherite (BaCO3) on the surface of calcite (CaCO3) single crystals reacted with aqueous solutions bearing Sr2+ and Ba2+, respectively. The reaction front moves inward from the calcite-solution interface through a dissolution-crystallization reaction, which stops before the strontianite and witherite shells are barely 40 thick. These shells consist of elongated crystallites that grow oriented on the calcite substrate, with which they share very small contact areas. The calcite-strontianite and -witherite epitaxies are mono-dimensional and involve a parallelism between (101(over bar)4)(Cal)||(021)(Str/Wth). Strontianite and witherite cohesive layers remain strongly attached to the calcite substrates, which appear crack-free even after 2 years of reaction time. The formation of thin, cohesive, and durable replacement layers of strontianite and witherite may provide a long-lasting protection for calcitic marbles and limestones used as building stones in cultural heritage.