Pressure-sensitive Tape Removal in Paper Conservation: A Review

ABSTRACT

The three treatment phases for pressure-sensitive tape removal included in this review are: removal of the carrier, adhesive removal from the paper surface, and adhesive removal from the paper interior. The latter process requires organic solvents. Solvent selection via the Teas chart or Zumbühl’s system are compared. Teas triangular chart supports the calculation of solvent mixtures with ideal mixing properties; Zumbühl’s bi-axial parametrization system supports solvent selection when solvent mixtures exhibit non-ideal behaviour and highlights vapour pressure as the solvent selection criterion. Strategies for working with solvents include a discussion of solvent mixtures and their application and the introduction of a suction disk design. Effects and common side effects of treatment are presented with examples. This review supports novices and practitioners in their treatment choices when dealing with the removal of pressure-sensitive tapes.

ZUSAMMENFASSUNG

Die drei hier vorgestellten Behandlungsphasen für die Entfernung von Haftklebeband umfassen die Abnahme des Trägers sowie die Ablösung des Klebstoffs von der Papieroberfläche und aus dem Inneren des Papiers. Für letztere sind organische Lösungsmittel erforderlich. Die Auswahl der Lösungsmittel wird anhand der Teas-Tabelle oder des Zumbühl-Systems verglichen. Das Teas-Dreiecksdiagramm unterstützt die Berechnung von Lösemittelgemischen mit idealen Mischeigenschaften, das biaxiale Parametrisierungssystem von Zumbühl unterstützt die Lösemittelauswahl bei Lösemittelgemischen mit nicht idealem Verhalten und hebt den Dampfdruck als Lösemittelauswahlkriterium hervor. Strategien für den Umgang mit Lösemitteln beinhalten eine Diskussion von Lösemittelgemischen und deren Anwendung sowie die Einführung eines Saugscheibendesigns. Wirkungen und häufige Nebenwirkungen der Behandlung werden anhand von Beispielen dargestellt. Diese Übersicht unterstützt Lernende und Praktizierende bei der Wahl der Behandlungsmethode für die Entfernung von Selbstklebebändern.

KEYWORDS:

• Pressure-sensitive tape
• solvent parametrization
• treatment strategy
• suction disk

SCHLAGWÖRTER:

• Haftklebeband
• Lösungsmittelparametrisierung
• Behandlungsstrategie
• Unterdruckscheibe

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Münchner Stadtmuseum for placing their trust in us, with especial thanks to paper conservators Anne Jacob and to Peter Axer, who initiated the project while still at the museum. The authors are indebted to Siegfried Rösslein from KOCH + NAGY (https://www.koch-nagy.de), who was instrumental in the design and construction of the suction disk device that they used (Appendix 2). The device is available from KOCH + NAGY Labortechnische Systeme GmbH. The authors would also like to thank Elissa O’Loughlin for inspiring conversations on the topic of tape removal, and Mario Röhrle from the Stuttgart State Academy for Fine Art and Design for his support in the technical photography. Former students Jennifer Adami, Karen Köhler and Leonie Rök contributed to the topic through the treatment of the posters featured in the article. The authors would also like to thank their anonymous reviewers for their careful reading.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Leonie Müller

Leonie Müller received her bachelor and master degrees in paper conservation at the paper conservation program at the Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design, respectively in 2017 and 2019. During her studies, she was an intern at several institutions, including the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto in 2018. From 2019 to 2021, she was the paper conservation fellow at the Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies at the Harvard Art Museums. She is currently freelancing. Leonie is also a trained bookbinder.

Ute Henniges

Ute Henniges received a doctorate in 2008 from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), and is a professional paper conservator. From 1999 to 2003, she studied paper conservation at the paper conservation program at the Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design. From 2003 to 2005, she was employed at PAL Preservation Academy GmbH Leipzig as a paper conservator. From 2008 to 2018, she worked as a researcher in paper conservation-related topics at the Department of Chemistry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU) where she also received a post-doctoral degree. Since 2018, she has been an academic staff member at the paper conservation program at the Stuttgart Academy.

Julia Schultz

Julia Schultz is professor of furniture and wooden objects conservation at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hildesheim (HAWK) since 2020. She received a doctorate in 2014 from the Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design and held a diploma (2003) and M.A. (2006) in conservation of furniture from HAWK. She received research fellowships at the J.P. Getty Museum (2003-2004) and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (2007-2009). After 4 years as a research assistant in the field of microbiology at HAWK, she worked as academic assistant in the laboratory for conservation science at the Stuttgart study program from 2014 to 2020.

Annine Wöllner

Annine Wöllner holds a B.A. in paper conservation from University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hildesheim (HAWK) as well as a M.A. from the paper conservation program at the Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design. Since 2016, she has been working as a freelance paper conservator in Berlin and has additionally been holding a part-time position at the Academy of Arts in Berlin since 2019.

Stefan Zumbühl

Dr Stefan Zumbühl is a conservation scientist at the Art Technology Laboratory of the Bern University of Applied Sciences. Since 2002, he has been a lecturer and researcher in the field of conservation and restoration. One focus of research is the effect of solvents and their effect on materials in works of art.

Irene Brückle

Irene Brückle is a professor at the Stuttgart State Academy for Art and Design and head of the program Conservation of Works of Art on Paper, Archives and Library Materials since 2008. From 1988 to 1990, she was the recipient of grants to work at several American museums. From 1990 through 2004, she taught at the Art Conservation Department, Buffalo State College, and she became a professor there in 1992. She holds an M.A. in art history from the University at Buffalo, and a doctorate in art sciences from the Stuttgart Academy. From 2005 to 2008, she was head of conservation at the Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin. She received the Keck Award for excellence in teaching in 2006 from the American Institute for Conservation.