Plextol B500

Mark Vine <100436.3447 [at] compuserve__com> writes:

>would appreciate hearing from any users of the acrylic emulsion
>Plextol B500 ...

This Butyl-Methacrylate copolymer resin emulsion has been introduced
to conservation in the early seventies by Vishwa R. Mehra, then
engineer at the "Central research laboratory for objects of art and
science" in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, in his quest to develop a
more adapt lining procedure for canvas paintings. He has published
papers on the subject, including the use of this so-called Plextol
B500, for the ICOM-CC meetings Madrid 1972 and Venice 1975 and the
historic "Conference on comparative Lining techniques" 1975 in
Greenwich, a.e..

He used it for what he called nap-bond lining. It is applied humid
as emulsion to the new support and is, by the use of the low
pressure table developed for this purpose, used in this state as an
adhesive. Otherwise, applied the same way, it is left until the
water has evaporated from the emulsion. Then the continuous film or
the discontinuous dots can be reactivated by the use of solvents,
like toluene or xylene, or by heat, due to the thermoplastic
capacity of this copolymer resin. Adherence is achieved this
way.

The emulsion is still on the market as a product under the trade
name Lascaux Acrylique Adhesive 498 20 X (thickened with 20 %
Xylene), or alternatively,  as Lascaux Acrylic Adhesive 498 HV
(thickened with acrylic acid ester), depending the criteria for use.
I am not sure though if the nap bond lining method is still in
practice. May this be of use and lead to more information for Mark
Vine

Hans-Christoph von Imhoff
Conservator-Restaurer
paintings and painted surfaces
CR-SCR, FIIC, PA-AIC
Chemin des Rochettes 6
1752 Villars-sur-Glene
Switzerland
+41 26 401 07 77
Fax: +41 26 401 08 88

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:77
                  Distributed: Monday, March 16, 1998
                       Message Id: cdl-11-77-002
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