Paper Deterioration by Aging

The lack of paper permanence is attributable to both internal and external influences [4]. In addition to sizing materials, internal factors include the type of fiber, coatings, and the presence of acidic and metallic compounds. External variables are the conditions during storage and use. Heat and humidity accelerate the deterioration of paper, and atmospheric pollution is frequently the source of external acid attacks. A comparison of identical volumes stored in the Netv York Public Library and the Royal Library in The Hague proved the importance of proper storage, as the New York books were found to be in a far more advanced stage of deterioration [5]. 

As acid catalyzed hydrolysis of cellulose is responsible for up to 90% of paper s loss of permanence, researchers have concentrated on deacidification as the primary solution to the impermanence of modern papers. Paper deacidification involves introduction of a strong base to convert acid spedes to their corresponding neutral salts, and the establishment of a neutral buffer to protect the paper against future acidcatalyzed damage. The first recorded attempt to neutralize paper was by Arthur Church at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London who, in 1891, advocated the immersion of paper in a methanolic solution of barium hydroxide [8]. 

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