[NHCOLL-L:4292] re: Nalgene paper and Tyvek

Wed Apr 8 12:08:22 EDT 2009

>From Merck (and Scott Williams, CCPTP 1988) Polyethylene is a simple chain

CH2-CH2-CH2

While Polyester (Polyethylene terephthalate) alternates cabons,
oxygens and benzenes in the backbone with both hydrogens and oxygens
as side chains

-O-C-B-CO-O-CH2-CH2-O-     (B=Benzene)

Does that help anybody?

Steve.

On Wed, Apr 8, 2009 at 6:53 AM, Bentley, Andrew Charles <abentley at ku.edu> wrote:
> Simon
>
>
>
> I have been told by reliable conservator folks that polyester is much more
> stable than polyethylene (tyvek) in terms of its UV stability and
> interaction with chemicals.  Unfortunately I do not know the exact
> differences in makeup of the two materials – maybe someone can chime in?
> The only reason why Alpha Systems is being cagey is because they want to
> maintain their monopoly on the market for this stuff…
>
>
>
> Andy
>
>    A  :             A  :             A  :
> }<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>
>    V                V                V
> Andy Bentley
> Ichthyology Collection Manager/Specify Usability Lead
> University of Kansas
> Natural History Museum & Biodiversity Research Center
> Dyche Hall
> 1345 Jayhawk Boulevard
> Lawrence, KS, 66045-7561
> USA
>
> Tel: (785) 864-3863
> Fax: (785) 864-5335
> Email: ABentley at ku.edu
>
>    A  :             A  :             A  :
> }<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>
>    V                V                V
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu]
> On Behalf Of Moore, Simon
> Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 7:00 AM
> To: Bentley, Andrew Charles; simmons.johne at gmail.com
> Cc: halford at sfu.ca; amsnyder at unm.edu; NHCOLL-L at lists.yale.edu
> Subject: [NHCOLL-L:4290] re: Nalgene paper and Tyvek
>
>
>
> Thanks Andy,
>
>
>
> I am now a bit confused with the poly's!  If Alpha systems are being cagey
> about the Tyvek that they use for the hot printing, is this a different
> formulation to that which is UV-degradable?
>
>
>
> I realise Andy, that your p-ester labels are still intact after 5 (?) years
> of  UV-abuse and fish oil but is this formulation somehow different to that
> of the flakey map incident which seems to be a poly-ethylene/alkene?
>
>
>
> With all good wishes,
> Simon Moore, MIScT, FLS, ACR,
> Senior Conservator of Natural Sciences.
> Hampshire County Council
> Recreation & Heritage Department,
> Museums & Archives Service,
> Chilcomb House, Chilcomb Lane,
> Winchester SO23 8RD. UK.
> Internal  8 327 6737
> 01962 826737
> http://www.hants.gov.uk/museum/biology
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: Bentley, Andrew Charles [mailto:abentley at ku.edu]
> Sent: 06 April 2009 17:53
> To: simmons.johne at gmail.com; Moore, Simon
> Cc: halford at sfu.ca; amsnyder at unm.edu; NHCOLL-L at lists.yale.edu
> Subject: RE: [NHCOLL-L:4287] re: Nalgene paper and Tyvek
>
> Hi all
>
>
>
> Just to add to this discussion – the material from Alpha Systems is spun
> bound POLYESTER and not polyethylene – not sure if they are the same thing
> or similar but thought I would clarify.  As John mentioned, Alpha Systems is
> naturally very cagey about the exact makeup of this material so that they
> can keep a monopoly on the market.  I am fairly confident that if we shipped
> off pieces to enough places we could find someone else who could supply it.
>
>
>
> Also, I have had sample labels in 95% ethanol, 40% formalin and glycerin on
> a window ledge in full sun here at KU for about 5 years now as a very
> informal test and have noticed no yellowing, brittling, degradation of the
> media and no fading, peeling ort degradation of the print on the labels even
> with rubbing.  They seem to be holding up very well in all three solutions…
>
>
>
> Andy
>
>    A  :             A  :             A  :
> }<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>
>    V                V                V
> Andy Bentley
> Ichthyology Collection Manager/Specify Usability Lead
> University of Kansas
> Natural History Museum & Biodiversity Research Center
> Dyche Hall
> 1345 Jayhawk Boulevard
> Lawrence, KS, 66045-7561
> USA
>
> Tel: (785) 864-3863
> Fax: (785) 864-5335
> Email: ABentley at ku.edu
>
>    A  :             A  :             A  :
> }<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>
>    V                V                V
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu]
> On Behalf Of John E Simmons
> Sent: Monday, April 06, 2009 7:33 AM
> To: Moore, Simon
> Cc: halford at sfu.ca; amsnyder at unm.edu; NHCOLL-L at lists.yale.edu
> Subject: [NHCOLL-L:4287] re: Nalgene paper and Tyvek
>
>
>
> Simon,
> Yes, it could.  The company that manufactures the medium won't tell us
> exactly what is in it.  On the other hand, no one has (yet) reported any
> problems with it.
>
> --John
>
> On Mon, Apr 6, 2009 at 6:41 AM, Moore, Simon <simon.moore at hants.gov.uk>
> wrote:
>
> Hi John,
>
>
>
> Many thanks for this often non-realised piece of information about the
> relative instability of Tyvek.
>
>
>
> Could  this UV-instability also apply to labels of spun-bound polyethylene
> (cf. Tyvek) which are currently being experimented using 'hot printers' for
> labelling fluid-preserved material?
>
>
>
> With all good wishes,
> Simon Moore, MIScT, FLS, ACR,
> Senior Conservator of Natural Sciences.
> Hampshire County Council
> Recreation & Heritage Department,
> Museums & Archives Service,
> Chilcomb House, Chilcomb Lane,
> Winchester SO23 8RD. UK.
> Internal  8 327 6737
> 01962 826737
> http://www.hants.gov.uk/museum/biology
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu]
> On Behalf Of John E Simmons
> Sent: 03 April 2009 15:35
> To: halford at sfu.ca
> Cc: amsnyder at unm.edu; NHCOLL-L at lists.yale.edu
> Subject: [NHCOLL-L:4285] re: Nalgene paper
>
> 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
>
>
>
>
> --
> 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

-- 
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