Helpful hints for your purchasing decisions.
Plastics
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Preferred |
Acceptable |
Unacceptable |
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Polyester (Mylar, Melinex) |
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Polypropylene |
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Acrylic /poly acrylates with UV filter (Plexiglas UF, True-Vue, Cryo Acrylite OP) |
Acrylic without UV filter (for book cradles, washing trays, etc.) |
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Polyethylene sheet |
Polyethylene bubble wrap (short term) |
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Polyethylene foam (Ethafoam, Volara, Plastazote) |
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Poly urethane ester foam (short term) |
Polyurethane ether foam |
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Polystyrene (short term) |
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Polyvinyl Chloride /PVC |
Adhesives
|
Preferred |
Acceptable |
Unacceptable |
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Post-It Notes (leaves adhesive residue, dissolves and lifts some inks) |
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Cellophane tape, masking tape (latex adhesive yellows and becomes brittle) |
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Rubber cement or other rubber/latex adhesives |
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Acrylic resin (B-72, B-67, etc.) and emulsion (Rhoplex, Lascaux, etc.) |
“Reversible,” “archival,” acid-free acrylic adhesive tape and labels (for low-value items only; not easily reversed; sharp tape edges cause mechanical damage) |
Scotch “Magic Mending” tape (dissolves inks, absorbed deeply into paper, reduced only with very strong solvents) |
|
Polyvinyl Acetate resin |
Polyvinyl Acetate emulsion (Jade 403 or other neutral PH, internally-plasticized) |
Polyvinyl Acetate emulsion (no-name “white glue” subject to acetic acid release) |