Teachers Antonio García Casco, of the department of Mineralogy and Petrology, and José Durán Suárez, of the department of Sculpture, of the University of Granada have presented to the patent board the invention of a porous artificial stone that notably reduces expenses in the construction and restoration of listed buildings.
The inventors of this material affirm that the main thing is «getting porosity from an artificial stone, which allows to work with more guarantees in the restoration of certain buildings and lowering the price in the reproduction of construction stones». According to the inventors of this material, there already are factories of ornamental products interested in the finding and its utility has been tested «in part of the columns of the Hospital Real (Royal Hospital) and the courtyard of the Church of the Salvador». This stone avoids water from going up the walls or the columns of the constructions thanks to its porous capacity, which makes a lasting and cheaper restoration possible. In addition, it reproduces almost to perfection the travertine used in the floor of the Palace of Charles the 5th, cheaper and more lasting.
The proceeding to obtain artificial stones and porous mortars for building, decorative and restoration purposes, consisting of mixing, in varied proportions (according to the simulated stone), dry goods, agglomerations, pigments and porosity generator. The most relevant aspect of the product is its porous connected system, similar to that of the porous natural stones (travertine, sandstone, volcanic tuffs…) used in construction and ornamentation. After the hardening and drying of the mixing, the product acquires porosity through the decomposition of the porosity generator thanks to the addition of organic solvents (toluene, xylene, acetone, universal solvent…) or sandblasting the surface. According to the inventors «the product is carried out as prefab of all kinds (blocks, slabs, plating, keystones, columns, balusters, flooring, etc.) ready to use, or as mortars (adaptable kit ) applicable en masse and malleable in situ with or without plank moulds (plaster, floors, cornices, etc)».
