Using polaroid zinc oxide nanocomposites in strengthening a historical printed paper: application to “Annales Agricoles” – 1829 AD

Abstract

Purpose

What is the behavior of nano-polaroid in strengthening weak paper? What is the effect of adding nano-zinc oxide to nano-polaroid? This paper aims to answer these questions.

Design/methodology/approach

A number of weak historical papers dating back to 1829 AD were treated with 2% of nano-polaroid and polaroid zinc oxide nanocomposites, respectively. After dryness, the samples were subjected to ultraviolet–ozone accelerated aging. Then, the effectiveness of the treatment was defined using the mechanical properties measurement, pH measurement, the chromatic change, scanning electron microscope investigation of the fibers surface and attenuated total reflectance analysis.

Findings

Results revealed that N-polaroid strengthened the fiber surface without reducing the gloss of ink. With the loading of nano-zinc particles onto N-polaroid, the strengthening effect increased, especially after the aging processes where the tensile and elongation values reached the highest value. Not only this but also the nano-polaroid coated with ZnO NPs reduced the color change and yellowness during aging, where the ΔE value reached to 3.3 (an acceptable degree of change, not monitored by the naked eye). The acidity of the treated paper also decreased significantly after the treatment and the aging. The microscopic images detected the improvement of the fibers’ structure where the fibers were swollen by the absorption of nanocomposites, which can be attributed to ZnO (NPs) that decreased the contact angle between the cellulose and the N-polaroid, which helped in filling the primary cells of fibers.

Originality/value

The study addressed the reinforcement of the printed paper samples using nano-polaroid and ZnO polaroid nanocomposites.

Citation

Ali Hassan, R.R. (2020), "Using polaroid zinc oxide nanocomposites in strengthening a historical printed paper: application to “Annales Agricoles” – 1829 AD", Pigment & Resin Technology, Vol. 49 No. 5, pp. 369-375. https://doi.org/10.1108/PRT-02-2020-0012