Stone or marble is extremely hard in our images, but over time, stone will also rust, stone cleaning technology requirements are getting higher and higher, and human environmental awareness is improving, people are paying more and more attention to new measures for stone maintenance.
Laser cleaning stone technology is being recognized as a new technology.
Why do stones rust?
The metal components inside the stone will be exposed to the air, initialized by rain, and chemically react with oxygen or other gases in the air, causing the surface to be covered with a layer of rust.
Marble is a common building material. The traditional laser cleaning marble method has some problems, such as incomplete cleaning and environmental pollution. This article will introduce in detail the application of laser cleaning machines in cleaning marble.
What is laser cleaning?
The laser cleaning technology used by laser cleaning machines is an advanced surface cleaning method. It irradiates high-energy laser beams on the surface of the object to be cleaned, and uses the interaction between the laser and the surface of the object to remove dirt, coatings, paints, etc. attached to the surface of the object. Material is rapidly ablated and exfoliated.
Laser cleaning technology can remove stains such as mold, terracotta, concrete, lime residue and other stains on building surfaces such as marble, sandstone, and granite without damaging or eroding the surface.
In addition, laser cleaning can also perform fine cleaning on colored or pigmented surfaces to remove accumulated soot and unsightly soil to restore the original beauty. Through extremely precise adjustment of the laser power (0-100%) and intensity within the system, a unique tool is provided for the restoration of cultural relics.
Laser cleaning stone type
The laser energy is fully absorbed by the attached dirt, expanded or evaporated by heat, and vaporized to form a vapor to drive away the base material to achieve the purpose of cleaning.
The absorption coefficient of the material to the laser energy is required to be small. The key to achieving efficient cleaning is to choose the appropriate laser wavelength and control the energy density.
The surface is cleaned with a pulsed laser with high frequency and power, and part of the laser beam is converted into sound waves. The sound waves return after impacting the lower hard surface. The incident sound waves that return interfere with the laser, resulting in high-energy resonance waves that cause the oxide skin layer to crack slightly, resulting in a crushing effect and easy detachment from the substrate surface.
Advantages of laser cleaning stone
The cleaning effect is remarkable:
The laser beam of the laser cleaning machine can penetrate the surface of the stone, break down the dirt material into tiny particles, and blow or suck it away through wind or vacuum device. Compared with traditional cleaning methods, laser cleaning stone completely removes dirt and restores the original smoothness and brightness of the stone surface.
Contactless cleaning:
There is no need to directly contact the stone surface, so it can avoid wear and scratches on the stone during the cleaning process and protect the surface texture and gloss of the stone. No physical contact is required to avoid harm to operators caused by manual cleaning.
Energy saving:
There is no need to use any chemical solvents or cleaning agents, which reduces environmental pollution and the generation of waste and wastewater. High efficiency features make it more energy saving than traditional cleaning methods.
Easy operation and high flexibility:
Program setting and parameter adjustment can be performed according to different cleaning needs, providing high operational flexibility. Follow the set procedures and no additional expertise or experience is required.
Laser cleaning marble applications
Marble floor cleaning:
It can be used for cleaning large areas of marble floors. During the cleaning process, the laser beam scans the floor surface and quickly irradiates the cleaning area to quickly ablate and peel away organic matter such as dirt, oil stains and stains on the floor.
Compared with traditional floor cleaning methods, it can completely remove dirt and restore the original smoothness and brightness of the marble floor.
Marble sculpture cleaning:
Marble sculptures are a common work of art and cultural heritage, and their surfaces are prone to accumulation of dust, stains and oxides. Precisely illuminate the surface of the sculpture to quickly ablate and peel off dirt, restoring the original appearance and details of the sculpture. Non-contact cleaning properties protect the texture and texture of sculpture surfaces.
Marble building exterior wall cleaning:
As a common building material, marble’s exterior walls are prone to accumulation of dust, stains and oxides.
Traditional cleaning methods may cause damage to the marble exterior wall, but the laser cleaning machine can quickly ablate and peel off the dirt on the surface of the exterior wall through the irradiation of high-energy laser beams, restoring the smoothness and brightness of the marble exterior wall.
Marble kitchen countertop cleaning:
Kitchen countertops are areas that come into frequent contact with food and grease, and can easily accumulate dirt that is difficult to clean.
Laser cleaning machines can quickly and accurately clean dirt, oil stains and stains on marble countertops, restoring the cleanliness and hygiene of the countertops.
Disadvantages of laser cleaning marble
- The equipment cost of laser cleaning machines is relatively high and may not be practical for ordinary home users.
- The color and texture of marble will have an impact on the suitability for laser cleaning, and different types of marble may require different laser cleaning parameters and equipment.
4 Laser cleaning stone method
| Technique | Description |
|---|---|
| Laser Dry Cleaning | Utilizes pulsed laser to directly irradiate and remove dirt. |
| Laser + Liquid Film | Involves first depositing a liquid film on the surface, then using laser radiation to remove dirt. |
| Laser + Inert Gas | Combines laser radiation with the blowing of inert gas onto the surface. The gas removes the dirt as it peels off, preventing re-contamination and oxidation. |
| Laser Loosening with Non-corrosive Cleaning | Uses laser to loosen dirt, followed by cleaning with non-corrosive chemical methods. This method is mainly used for cleaning stone artifacts. |