Weekly Quiz: How Long Will Acid-Free Paper Last? 

Answer: 200 Years!

The acidic content of a paper is measured on a pH scale of 0 (acidic, very short life expectancy) to 14.0 (alkaline, very long life expectancy). Any paper becomes increasingly acidic as it ages and interacts with the environment. 

Acidic papers, with a pH below 7.0, only have a life expectancy of up to 25 years. Once upon a time you could easily see this in the newsprint of your newspaper, which is highly acidic. It starts yellowing and disintegrating after a short while out in the elements. 

“Acid free” means that the paper’s pH is 7.0 (neutral) or higher (alkaline). Acid-free papers will last up to 200 years under normal use and storage conditions. 

PaperSpecs PRO members, for more on this don’t miss our: 

0 Comments

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

© 2002 - 2026 PaperSpecs