Paper gets flimsy when wet due to its chemical structure, primarily its hydrogen bonds. If you've ever spilled a drink over the paperwork on your desk or accidentally placed your dinner napkin on a damp surface, you know how frustratingly flimsy paper gets when it's wet.
Paper loses strength when it gets wet, and books suffer damage due to swelling. Additionally, mold may begin to grow when objects are left damp for approximately 72 hours. You want to be prepared once you get back into your home or library.
When water is poured on paper, its molecules get absorbed by paper and they form H- bonds with -OH groups of cellulose molecules, replacing the inter-molecular hydrogen bonds between different cellulose molecules. This reduces the strength of paper drastically.
These fibers are reinforced and fused by strong hydrogen bonds. When paper gets wet, however, those bonds are damaged and the fibers separate more easily. In turn, the paper becomes weak and tears. Even a thick stack of paper can tear easily when wet!
It depends on the notebook. If it's indeed drenched, it will be very delicate and will need to stabilize it by removing water before trying to separate the pages. Sometimes paper can be freeze dried and then the pages separated, preserved and examined & photographed.
2: Air Drying
If you have wet books or paper records, it's best to freeze them if they can't be dried immediately. People affected by the flooding have more time-sensitive responsibilities in the immediate aftermath, so freeze your books and papers if you can't get them dry within three days.
First, place the wet paper on a flat surface where it will be able to lie for several hours. Dab the paper gently with a towel to remove some of the excess moisture. Avoid rubbing the paper, because this will damage it. Turn on a fan near your wet paper to help circulate the air and dry it quicker.
"If you make paper wet, the fiber matrix swells; the fibers begin to detach; and it starts to lose strength, so it's easier to tear."
Water-resistant paper holds up to spills and leaks and makes it possible to read and write in rain, snow or even underwater. Sometimes called "waterproof paper," it's important to know that no paper is truly waterproof, even if it's able to be used underwater.
The process of drying papers can take several hours, so keep that in mind as you choose a surface to place the papers on. Ideally, the papers should be undisturbed for the duration of the air-drying process.
For paper to decompose it takes between two and six weeks. This is relatively quick compared to other materials, but it can be two to five months before the paper completely disappears if it's disposed of in landfill.
In acid hydrolysis, which is the reaction that plays the largest role in the degradation of paper, acid within the paper reacts with water (moisture in the air), causing breaks in the chains of molecules that make up paper and ultimately making it weak and brittle.
Below are general tips on stabilising and drying water damaged paper-based materials. HOWEVER, advice should be sought from a trained conservator before proceeding. Airdrying within the first 48 hours is suitable for drying small quantities of damp and partially wet records.
Excess humidity can also damage paper by encouraging natural aging reactions to occur. Water is a necessary ingredient in the chemical reactions that break down the cellulose in paper, and when in a humid environment, these reactions occur faster, causing the paper to become brittle and yellowed.
Wet books should be dried as soon as possible, as mold can start growing after 48 hours. Air drying is a simple process and one needs only a clean, flat surface, a fan, and paper towels. The key is to frequently replace the paper towels as they absorb water.
Before it was wet, the paper was recyclable, but after it's wet, you should toss it in the waste container instead.
Both the water and humidity can cause permanent deterioration to paper. Yet, the good news is that water damaged paper restoration is achievable, but only when acting quickly and carefully.
Almost all clothing, wood, and paper were recovered from inside leather receptacles, and protected from the harsh ocean-floor environment.
AIPL SUNMIGHT WATER PROOF PAPER is a Waterproof Latex Paper with High Quality Water Resistant Paper Backing. It is made with High Quality Aluminum Oxide Grain. It is available in the size of 230 mm X 280 mm. It comes in Grits size ranging from 60-3000.
Important documents damaged by flood water can be sprinkled with cornstarch or talcum powder to absorb moisture. Leave the powder there for several hours and then brush it off. If you happen to have valuable books that are nearly dry, consider ironing the pages with an electric iron set on low.
The residual strength of a wetted paper can be less than 10% of the original strength. Various techniques, such as refining of the pulp and wet pressing on the paper machine can be used to reduce the strength loss of the paper upon wetting. To improve the wet strength it is common to use chemicals.
The term goldenrod is typically used to describe a color of paper – golden yellow. However, some brands of goldenrod paper contain a special dye that turns bright red when exposed to solutions that are basic, like ammonia, water, or washing soda.
After drying, nearly all the fibers in the paper are collapsed, taking on a ribbon-like structure with a thickness twice that of the fiber wall.
Unfortunately, water-soaked paper documents will only last for a few days unless treated immediately. For the best-known loss of records by water damage, ask the U.S. Census Bureau about water-soaked documents.
Paper has built-in stresses due to the manufacturing process. If paper is moistened on one side only, the fibers on that side swell, and that side of the paper gets longer, so the paper curls away from the wet side. As the wetter side of the paper dries out, the paper slowly loses its curl and then is flat again.