e-plastory - Journal of Historic Polymeric Materials, Plastics Heritage and History

English

Jitka Neoralova

Many bookbindings in the modern collections of the National Library of the Czech Republic (books published after 1800) are at least partially composed of various types of synthetic materials. In addition, book attachments (such as toys, stickers, etc.) are primarily plastic and require specific storage. The key to maintaining large library collections is knowledge of the material composition and physical condition of library units, which allows for more efficient care of large modern collections from an economic point of view. A thorough analysis of the effects of synthetic polymers, additives, and their degradation products on other materials will make it possible to create a suitable preventive care strategy ensuring the good physical condition of library collections as a whole and to select a suitable and safe cleaning method. Especially in the application of specific surface cleaning technologies, the ability to identify polymeric material is essential. More than 6,000 units were examined during the national project "Synthetic Materials in modern library collections", some of which contain multiple types of plastic or are equipped with attachments. The paper includes information on methods of identification of synthetic polymers, the types of plastics occurring in library collections, and characteristic manifestations of degradation processes.

The Use of Plastics in Soviet Household Appliances. Plastics Rarities from the Collection of the Moscow Polytechnic Museum

Alla Nudel — Mo, 16 Sep 2019 00:00:00 +0200

In the first half of the 20th century, two main types of plastics were produced in industrial volumes in the USSR â€“ cellulose nitrate and phenolic resins. At first, these materials were used to make household items and some electrotechnical products. The most interesting of them are represented in the collection of the Moscow Polytechnic Museum, one of the oldest science museums in the world, founded in 1872. The first models of home vacuum-cleaners and washing devices with cases made entirely of phenolic resin appeared in the USSR in the late 1940s. While the range of household appliances produced expanded after the middle of the 20th century, production of household electric vacuum cleaners, washing machines, and refrigerators continued. To begin with, these novel devices were produced for only a short time. For the curators and researchers of the Moscow Polytechnic Museum, these rare examples are unique and valuable objects for studying and preservation.

Poliversal-Plasteme: 50 Years of Commercial and Industrial Success in Quality and Innovation

InÃªs Matoso — Mo, 16 Sep 2019 00:00:00 +0200

Established 1966 in Luanda, Angola, by Portuguese businessman Armando Augusto Morais, the company Ultramar Comercial had already asserted its market position as the exclusive product distributor of the Italian petrochemical company Montedison in the Portuguese overseas provinces. Driven by political-historical forces to move, via Brazil, to its Lusitanian homeland, todayâ€™s Poliversal-Plasteme plastics company has found its place among the producers and distributors of plastics masterbatches in Portugal in these five decades.

Impact of Plastics in Archives: Conservation Issues and Solutions

Cancy Chu, Petronella Nel

There is a need to pay attention to the presence and impact of polymeric materials on the conservation of archive collections. A review demonstrates how since the mid 19^thcentury, polymers have evolved to become a significant component of archival records stored in photographic, magnetic, optical and digital formats. Additionally, replacement of traditional materials with polymeric alternatives have altered the storage environment of paper-based records. Unfortunately, polymers pose a challenge to the conservation of archival records due to their lack of longevity, complex chemical formulations, and lack of available treatment and storage conventions. An overview of current preventive conservation strategies for a variety of carrier types establishes the need for sustainable, low-budget solutions. Finally, plans are outlined for conducting industry questionnaires, collection surveys, and experimental studies in the context of PolyMuse, a collaborative plastics research project between Australian cultural institutions.Â

Plastic packaging and ecology between attraction and repulsion

Hejer Ben Fraj Barbouch

Si l'utilisation du plastique se multiplie dans notre sociÃ©tÃ©, c'est parce que le consommateur le veut. Dans ce qui suit, il s'agira d'exposer les comportements et les actions des utilisateurs qui exhalent notre geste avec la "familiaritÃ©" Ã proximitÃ© des emballages plastiques. Nous essayons donc de remettre en question le sens donnÃ© par les gestes dâ€™emballage et ses comportements qui confÃ¨rent un emballage pour comprendre le concept de transposition dâ€™un produit de consommation et dâ€™utilisation unique Ã un usage pour lequel cet emballage ne passe pas vite Ã la poubelle .

Actuellement, les emballages en plastique jouent un rÃ´le important dans notre vie quotidienne. D'aprÃ¨s nos observations, dans certains mÃ©nages et Ã la suite de leur rÃ©utilisation, les conteneurs en plastique ont de nombreuses vies et ne seront pas abandonnÃ©s jusqu'Ã ce qu'ils soient convertis Ã un autre usage. Bien que les actions et les pratiques des utilisateurs concernant les emballages aprÃ¨s utilisation fassent en sorte qu'ils deviennent des sources de prolifÃ©ration et de pollution pour certaines sources d'Ã©nergie et d'organisation. Ces actions de conservation et de rÃ©utilisation ne sont pas nouvelles pour le consommateur tunisien puisque ce dernier est connu pour son "engouement pour tout garder". Certains consommateurs tunisiens conservent les objets en gÃ©nÃ©ral et les boÃ®tes en plastique en particulier, car ils ne peuvent pas se sÃ©parer. Les raisons annulent ces rÃ©actions. D'abord, il y a le facteur d'attachement Ã l'objet, d'autre part, l'apprÃ©hension d'en avoir besoin un jour et enfin le sentiment de culpabilitÃ© de s'en dÃ©barrasser. Cette faÃ§on de penser des objets pourrait Ãªtre une opportunitÃ© d'innovation pour les concepteurs et l'environnement.
Nous ne demandons plus ce que les emballages font au consommateur, mais ce que les consommateurs font avec les emballages.