Home >> Resources >> Research Publications >> Accelerated Aging of Paper

Accelerated Aging of Paper: Can it Really Foretell the Permanence of Paper

Status of Accelerated Aging of Paper

At this time, there is practically universal agreement that the presence of moisture during the aging process is essential. Substantial evidence exists today to demonstrate conclusively that different reaction mechanisms dominate under dry and humid aging conditions. Most recently, David Erhardt has used GC-MS analysis to study the accelerated aging of paper. He has compared degradation products extracted from Whatman filter paper aged under humid and dry conditions (Erhardt, 1987). Glucose and xylose, products of hydrolytic degradation of cellulose and xylan, were the dominant reaction products for papers aged at 90°C and 100% RH. Dry oven aging at 90°C and above gave product mixtures with very little glucose, demonstrating that hydrolysis of cellulose was not the dominant reaction under relatively dry aging. Even under dry conditions, aging at 150°C and above produced a different degradation product distribution than that observed at lower temperatures.

Three different sets of humid aging conditions have been favored by most workers: 80°C - 65% RH, 90°C -50% RH and 90°C -25% RH. To the best of my knowledge, the ISO 9706 Standard Committee did not consider the 90°C -50% RH condition, but compared the other two humid aging conditions and decided in favor of the 80°C -65% RH aging condition for incorporation in the ISO standard. This was a bold, ground-breaking decision by the ISO Committee to place their confidence in an accelerated aging test despite the mounting resistance and criticism of such testing over the past several years. However, the practical significance of this specification has yet to be demonstrated. One wonders whether vendors would be agreeable enough to withdraw a product if the failure of the product is determined several weeks after delivery. Now that an accelerated aging requirement has been introduced in an international standard, it can always be improved upon if necessary. Such a need may catalyze further research efforts.

Table of Contents - Introduction - Status of Accelerated Aging of Paper - Research in Accelerated Aging of Paper - Comparison of Accelerated Aging of Paper in Stacks and Sheets - Aging of Paper Sealed within Polyester Film - Inadequacy of Single Sheet Accelerated Aging Methods - Accelerated Aging within Sealed Enclosures - Comparison of Accelerated Aging Methods - Accelerated Aging under Light -Measurement of Rates of Degradation - Conclusion - References - Supporting Documents