News

Users Of Alkaline And Permanent Paper

The American Chemical Society (ACS) has increased its subscription prices for ACS journals, by amounts ranging from $5 to over $100 a year. About 3% of the cost increases will cover the additional cost of using acid-free paper, according to the report in the May 1 Chemical & Engineering News, p. 62-64.
The British Library (Humanities and Social Sciences) went to some lengths in 1984 to obtain paper that was not only acid-free but permanent. The criteria were that it should meet the U.S. draft standard for permanent paper (the only standard for book paper then available), and that it should not be too costly.

In conjunction with Link Publishing Papers and the Silverton Mill of the St. Regis Group, the following requirements were agreed on:

neutral sized, cold extract pH 7.5-8.5
improved furnish to give the equivalent of 55-60%. fold retention after artificial aging in a substance of 85 gsm.

Currently the increase in cost over a "standard finish" cartridge made by that mill is less than 5%. The minimum quantity is five tons.

Paper to this specification is now used by the Library for many long-life reference titles where the extent of the book allows the use of a relatively low-bulking paper and where text only is to be printed. For further details, contact David Way, British Library Marketing and Publishing Office, Great Russell St., London WC1B 3DG, England. [From Library Conservation News No. 21, Oct. 1988.]

Paper Permanence

On April 9 at the TAPPI Papermakers Conference in Washington, DC, nine people met with William Stevens, chair of the Paper and Board Manufacture Division of TAPPI, to discuss formation of an Ad Hoc Permanence Committee. Four met again with Mr. Stevens the following day to continue discussion, which centered on the possible mission and scope of the committee and where it might fit best within the TAPPI organizational structure. These are not easy questions, because permanence is affected by so many different operations in pulping and papermaking. The time and place of the next meeting have not been set yet. It is possible that more than one permanence committee might be established.

To receive minutes of these two meetings, contact Laura Feix-Baker at TAPPI (PO Box 105113, Atlanta, GA 30348, 404/ 446-1400, x 242). occasional mailings to the 20 people originally invited to the organizational meeting are made from the APA office. As long as the committee keeps its ad hoc status, anyone may join whether they are TAPPI members or not, as long as they come to meetings and accept work assignments. Contact Ms. Feix-Baker about membership.

IPC Becomes IPST

In April it was announced that the Institute of Paper Chemistry (IPC) will become the Institute of Paper Science and Technology in July 1989, when in moves to the Atlanta campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Paper And Print Preservation Hearing

On May 4, the House Subcommittee on Science, Research Technology, chaired by Rep. Doug Walgren (D-PA), held a hearing on preservation of print. The first witness was Sen. Pell, speaking in support of S.J. Res. 57 and the House companion measure. (An earlier version of the Senate Resolution was published in the December issue of this Newsletter.)

Standards for paper, especially for durability and strength, also were addressed. The hearing also considered EPA regulations that mandate federal agency use of recycled paper and the impact, if any, on the use of permanent paper for publications.

Conference On Modern Book Materials

The Gutenberg Museum and the International Gutenberg Society co-sponsored a conference last October in Mainz, Germany, called "Material Used in Contemporary Book Publishing." Some of the papers given were:

D.E. Petersen - "Acid Paper - Its Background and Future Aspects"
H. Bansa - "How will Paper Keep?"
A. Zappala - "The Materials in the Book Industry - What is the Future?"

Lake States Section Gets Update

The January 1989 meeting of the TAPPI Lake States Section, "Alkaline Papermaker's Update," drew 210 participants and was chaired by Hardev S. "Doug" Dugal (James River Research) together with Mark V. Nelson (Thilmany Pulp and (Paper). Some of the papers presented were:

"Mill Experiences with Alkaline Papermaking," by Richard J. Ross of Nekoosa Papers
"Mill Experiences Using Alkyl Ketene Dimer (AKD) Sizing," by James Kolosso of Kerwin Paper Co. "Optimizing Alkaline Papermaking Using SEM and CMP," by George C. Simon of Calgon Corp. ("CMP" refers to custom manufactured polymers used as drainage or retention aids.)
"The Compozil System," by Stephen B. Borick of Procomp

New Deacidification Method Announced

Lithium Corporation of America (Lithco, a subsidiary of FMC Corporation), located in Gastonia, NC, has developed a proprietary organometallic compound which is effective in both deacidifying and strengthening paper in bound books. The compound (a long-chain polyfunctional magnesium alkoxide) is nonpyrophoric and soluble in both hydrocarbons and freons.

Preliminary results employing an independent lab to conduct the accelerated aging and MIT folding studies indicate a tenfold increase in the life of treated paper. The ligands attached to the magnesium were designed to interact with the cellulose to strengthen the paper as well. Accordingly, naturally aged brittle paper has been treated and results demonstrate an enhancement in strength.

A pilot plant capable of treating 100,000 books per year will be operational in the early part of 1990. Large-scale chimerical plants will follow and will be strategically located based on logistics and demand.

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Volume 2, Number 2 Jul 1989