- Acid-free
- Acid-free papers and products are those with a pH balance of 7.0 or above, meaning that most of the acid normally present in the product has been removed. Acid is used in paper manufacturing to break apart the wood fibers and lignin which hold the wood fibers together. The acid in paper may react chemically with photos or memorabilia to accelerate their deterioration. It's important to ensure your scrapbook and photo albums, papers, adhesive, etc are acid-free.
- Adhesive
- Adhesive is the glue or tape used to hold the elements of a scrapbook page together. Be sure to use safe adhesives when creating your layouts, such as those that are acid-free. I also recommend avoiding rubber cements, as they are not long-lasting.
- Archival
- Archival commonly implies permanence, durability or chemical stability, indicating it can be used for preservation purposes. However, there is not a set standard for archival-quality, and some companies may take advantage of the word in labeling their products to appeal to the scrapbooking market. It's important that you use quality materials in your albums and scrapbooks to ensure they are safe and long-lasting.
- Buffered
- Buffered indicates the addition of an alkaline (base) reserve to a material to control the pH over an extended period of time. Buffered is commonly used in paper manufacturing to identify that an alkaline filler has been added during the paper making process to offset the acid in the paper or any that it comes into contact with later. Buffering is also used in some adhesives to control the pH.
- Dye
- Dye is a soluble substance used to color ink, paper and fabric. Dyes are generally less stable over the long-term than pigments, but there is usually a greater color variety available.
- Layout
- A layout is another term for a scrapbook page. It sometimes consists of 2 side-by-side pages with a coordinating design.
- Lignin
- Lignin is the bonding element in plants that gives them strength and rigidity. Lignin remaining in a finished paper product causes it to become yellow and brittle when exposed to heat, light and humidity. Newspapers are a good example. Papers with lignin that touch photos can cause staining, fading or spotting.
- Lignin-free
- To be considered lignin-free, paper can contain a maximum of 1% lignin.
- pH
- pH is a measurement that indicates the degree of acid or base found in a material. On a scale from 0-14, pH 7.0 is neutral. Above 7.0 is basic (acid-free or base), and below 7.0 is acidic.
- Photographic Activity Test (PAT)
- The PAT is the most common and reliable test used to predict harmful and chemical interactions between scrapbooking materials and photographic images. The PAT is only one of several tests used to determine if a material is safe for use with photos. Other tests, such as pH, may be needed.
- Photo-safe
- Photo-safe commonly implies a product's non-reactivity with photographic images; however, there is not a set standard for photo-safeness. Currently, the only test available that tests some of the possible chemical interactions that can occur with photographic materials is the Photographic Activity Test (PAT). Yet this this test does not indicate that a material is completely photo-safe.
- Pigment
- Pigment is a non-water soluble substance used to color ink, paper and fabrics. Pigments are generally more stable than dyes. However, there are not as many color selections using pigments, as dyes.
- Polypropylene
- Polypropylene is a clear, flexible, chemically-stable plastic used in the manufacturing of preservation products, such as scrapbook page protectors.
- Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
- PVC, also known as vinyl, is a plastic that may exude plasticizers or emit corrosive and acidic hydrogen-chloride gas. PVC is often identifiable by its strong plastic odor. Page protectors, binders, photo enclosures, corners or any other products made from vinyl should never be used with photographs or in scrapbooks.
For additional definitions regarding scrapbook preservation, visit the Scrapbook Preservation Society's terminology definitions.
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