[NHCOLL-L:4285] re: Nalgene paper

[John E Simmons]

The person who posted the query about Tyvek seems to have the terminology a
bit confused.  Tyvek is not considered archival (meaning stable in the
long-term), but is considered inert.  Polymers are not archivally stable
systems.  Tyvek is a form of spun-bonded polyethylene, and like any
polyethylene, it is susceptible to deterioration caused by exposure to UV.
It is not surprising that it disintegrates inside the walls of houses,
considering the dose of UV it gets before the walls go up.  It is not
surprising that a map printed on spun-bonded polyethylene, exposed to UV
from natural light and probably unfiltered fluorescents would disintegrate,
either.  If you can avoid exposure to UV, spun-bonded polyethylene can be
reasonably stable, but how long it will last depends on the formulation--it
gets loaded up with other materials to give it color, texture, rigidity, and
so forth, any of which can hasten its demise.  The company selling it may
call it archival, but this does not make it archival.

--John

John E. Simmons
Museologica
128 E. Burnside Street
Bellefonte, Pennsylvania 16823-2010
simmons.johne at gmail.com
303-681-5708
www.museologica.com
and
Adjunct Curator of Collections
Earth and Mineral Science Museum & Art Gallery
Penn State University
19 Deike Building
University Park, Pennsylvania 16802-2709
jes67 at psu.edu

On Thu, Apr 2, 2009 at 11:44 PM, Steve Halford <halford at sfu.ca> wrote:

> This was just posted to SCIART-L:
>
> From: Andie Thrams <andiethrams at EARTHLINK.NET>
> Date: April 2, 2009 5:48:45 PM CDT
> To: BOOK_ARTS-L at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
> Subject: [BKARTS] Tyvek Tales
> Reply-To: Book_Arts-L <BOOK_ARTS-L at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
>
> Two tyvek tales:
>
> 1. I listened with horror to friends, who are general contractors, as
> they discussed finding disintegrating tyvek inside the walls of homes
> built less than twenty years ago. They said they found tyvek sheeting
> in the walls of homes they were renovating in tattered shreds. They
> are returning to using good old tar paper for their own  work as a
> result.
>
> 2. A USGS map from REI, that has been on our wall for under four
> years, recently crumbled into a zillion pieces and fell right off the
> wall. It had been printed out from their in-store on-demand machines
> on a tyvek-like material, though I am uncertain exactly what that
> material is. To their credit, REI refunded in full. I asked about
> printing out on paper instead, but this option is not available.
> (Yikes.)
>
> So, what of tyvek and the book arts? I understand some tyvek is sold
> as "archival," and that this has to do with the various coatings on
> the tyvek. And, this is what I have been using. But... now I really
> wonder about tyvek. Can we rest assured about the longevity of this
> material? Or am I nuts to use it in books I would not want to fall
> apart in the near future? I really do love how it takes color and have
> enjoyed using it for end sheets and other purposes, too.
>
> Any thoughts out there?
>
> Thanks!
> Andie Thrams
>
> On Tue, Mar 31, 2009 at 7:38 AM, Alexandra M Snyder <amsnyder at unm.edu>
> wrote:
> > Dear Alastair,
> >
> > I have used Tyvek (product name), which is also made of spun-bonded
> > polyethylene olefin fibers, for labeling oversize fish specimens in tanks
> of
> > ethanol, formalin, and isopropanol.  The label is printed using an impact
> > printer (Epson LQ 870). The thermal transfer labels/plastic paper do not
> > work as well for tank specimens as the hole tends to tear out.  I
> purchase
> > Tyvek 6060 sheets (#18)  of 23"x35" from University Products,
> Massachusetts
> > USA. (www.universityproducts.com) This is a heavier paper than the rolls
> of
> > type 1443R.
> >
> > Lex
> > **************************************
> > Alexandra M Snyder
> > Collections Manager-Fishes
> > Museum of Southwestern Biology MSC03-2020
> > 302 Yale NE
> > University of New Mexico
> > Albuquerque NM 87131 USA
> > PH/FAX 505.277.6005
> > http://www.msb.unm.edu/fishes/index.html
> >
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Steve Halford (halford at sfu.ca)
> Museum Technician
> Department of Biological Sciences
> Simon Fraser University
> 8888 University Drive
> Burnaby, B.C. Canada               Phone
> V5A 1S6                                  778-782-3461
>
>
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