A study on reversibility of BEVA®371 in the lining of paintings

The adhesive properties of BEVA®371 used in the lining of paintings and the reversibility and invasiveness of the operation as a function of the different application conditions has been investigated in this work. Peel and lap shear mechanical tests on specific samples were then done in order to study the adhesion effectiveness. After the tests, cross-sections of samples were observed under optical microscope to examine the adhesive distribution; moreover, the samples were examined with SEM analysis to evaluate the adhesive invasiveness. Also, a series of removal tests of lining fabrics from an original painting were done in order to establish the method allowing the highest degree of reversibility. The influence of artificial ageing was evaluated on a series of samples subjected to thermal-hygrometric stress for some months. Changes in the elastic and adhesive properties were observed, but all together the study indicates that from the mechanical point of view BEVA®371 is a quite stable material for lining operations made with properly controlled application methods.