A study of Tung-oil–lime putty—A traditional lime based mortar

Tung-oil-lime mortar is a special organic–inorganic binding material invented by the ancient Chinese people. It was widely used in wooden ship and special moisture-proof structures of ancient buildings due to its good sealing and waterproof performances. As a traditional binding material, tung-oil–lime mortar would have a bright applicative prospect in protection of cultural relics. In this paper, the formula, performances and mechanism of tung-oil–lime mortar are discussed. The results show that the mortar prepared by tung-oil with calcium hydroxide has better mechanical properties, water-resistivity and weather resistance than common lime mortar. The effective compositions of tung-oil–lime mortar were carboxylic acid calcium, curing tung-oil and calcium hydroxide. And these good performances of tung-oil–lime mortar come from the compact structure which is established through coordination reaction of Ca2+ from the Ca(OH)2 and the oxidation aggregation reaction of CåC double bonds in unsaturated fatty acid.