New Hydrogel Offers Breakthrough in Preserving Waterlogged Shipwreck Wood

Chinese researchers have developed a dissolvable gel that neutralizes acids and bacteria, providing a safer and faster method to protect ancient wooden artifacts.

The hydrogel, created by Chinese researchers, is designed to preserve waterlogged wood from shipwrecks by neutralizing harmful acids and bacteria.
Unlike traditional preservation methods, the gel dissolves naturally, eliminating the risk of surface damage caused by peeling it off the wood.
The gel was tested on 800-year-old wood from the Nanhai No. 1 shipwreck, demonstrating effective acid neutralization up to 1 centimeter deep within 10 days.
Hydrogels with less silver nitrate dissolve more quickly and better maintain the wood's cellular structure, reducing brittleness compared to other treatments.
This innovation could enhance the preservation of millions of underwater shipwrecks globally, providing a safer alternative to existing methods that often risk damaging artifacts.