Polypropylene storage boxes

Tim Edwards <sadete<-a t->hantsnet< . >hants< . >gov< . >uk> writes

>Does anyone have any views on polypropylene boxes for volume
>storage? We are thinking of phase box type enclosures. I believe
>the material itself is sound but am concerned with its performance
>in a disaster situation eg. would it be likely to melt at temperatures
>at which paperboard enclosures would only char? The material we
>are looking at is 1mm in thickness.

There are a number of issues here--first of all there's a variety of
polypropylene products on the market, and 1mm thick doesn't sound
very efficacious. Even if it were some sort of hard shell, high
density polypropylene new on the market. So on the grounds of
support as a housing structure, I would be hesitant to recommend
that alone.

However, if one was to build a phase box out of lignin-free box
board and use the polypropylene as a wrapper or jacket (wrap the
book with polypropylene first, then make the box would be my
recommendation), then you might have the best of both worlds.

As to melting temperatures, I would think it best to contact the
respective manufacturer for such specs.

George Leake
Conservation Department
Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
UT Austin
512-471-9117

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 11:40
                 Distributed: Tuesday, October 28, 1997
                       Message Id: cdl-11-40-007
                                  ***