Category talk:Plastics

Know what plastic is used to make your storage material
- The first step to figure out if a material is stable or not
Find out if the material has additives or not
- Volatile chemicals will evaporate into the space your material is stored
- Plasticisers can evaporate and/or transfer to objects in contact with plastic
- Colorants may transfer onto objects through abrasion
Avoid plastics marketed as “biodegradable” or “recycled”
Seek out “virgin” or never-used base plastics
Check the literature to see if your material has been analyzed for use in storage
If you see the words oxidized or hydrolyzed keep the following in mind:
- Plastics reported to oxidize will yellow and become brittle over time
- Plastics reported to hydrolyze will get weak over time

Find information about plastics from websites, supplier catalogs etc.
Look for specific polymers from vendors
Understand Technical data sheets, SDS sheets and get the important information from them
Feel comfortable with common terminology used by vendors
Have a conversation with the manufacturer/supplier (begins with tracking down the right person) to ask:
- What polymers are present?
- What are the additives?
- What materials are used as part of the processing - ie release agents, etc.
- Are there any finish coats - ie antistatic, antistick etc.
- Is there a curing time for the material? Will it arrive after that time?
- May I have a technical specification sheet as well as a safety data sheet (SDS)?
- Is there certification that this doesn’t off-gas VOCs? – Every Component of the Material!
- How is this certified as Archival? Is it certified?