Glue sticks

The CCI tested the Pritt Glue Stick and the Uhu Stic Glue Stick in 1982
to find out what they were made of, and found it was "predominantly
poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) with some poly(vinyl alcohol)."  Spectra on ZnSe
plates were nearly identical.  pH was about 9.  The Uhu Stic appeared to
contain a nonvolatile amine or amide.  Both products were very soluble
in water.  The chemist who analyzed it said, "I think this would be a
fairly stable product.  Aging tests would be required to confirm this
opinion."  As far as I know, aging tests have not been done on any glue
sticks, and no adhesive with the makeup of these two was included in the
natural aging tests now going on at CCI.  I have not heard any reports
of damage done by them, or of them losing any of their characteristics
with age--so far.

Three days later they tested the Denison Glue Stick and said "This is
very nearly identical"--same pH and everything.

The National Archives and Records Administration lab tested the UHU Stic
and O'Glue for pH and presence of chloride, but they do not send out
their test reports on as grand a scale as CCI does, and I don't know
what they found.

Ellen

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                   Conservation DistList Instance 3:8
                  Distributed: Wednesday, May 23, 1990
                        Message Id: cdl-3-8-002
                                  ***