Nanomechanics of linen canvases treated with novel nanocellulose-based materials

This paper presents recent work on the reinforcement of linen canvases with nanocellulose-based preparations for the structural conservation of canvas paintings. They were shown to be effective in reinforcement when used on cotton, but their effect on linen remains relatively unexplored and is therefore the focus of this study. A new method of film application to minimise the exposure of canvases to moisture was also tested; the results were compared with those from brushed-treated samples. As a non-invasive technique, atomic force microscopy
(AFM) was used in order to test the surface mechanical properties at the nanoscale level. AFM showed an increase in Young’s modulus values when pre-prepared films of nanocellulose-based materials were applied to untreated linen. A dynamic
mechanical analysis with controlled relative humidity (DMA-RH) also emonstrated both consolidation, measured as an increase in stiffness, and stiffness variation on exposure of the samples to fluctuations in RH.