Paper and other lignocellulosic materials undergo deterioration as a result of ageing, influenced by various factors and accelerated by the formation of acids from components used in paper production and ambient species. These acids increase degradation of paper and decrease its mechanical properties. There is a lack of detailed information on the formation of acetic and formic acid in the process of accelerated ageing in the literature. This contributuion presents information on the kinetics of acetic and formic acid formation during accelerated ageing determined by modified ASTM D 6819-02 procedure. Accelerated ageing was performed with newsprint paper at 98°C and 50% RH for 60 days. The ratio of acetic acid to formic acid concentration increases through accelerated ageing by the factor after 10 days and by the factor 5.5 after 60 days. The brittleness index expressed as embrittlement due to paper degradation correlates well with the increase of the carboxylic acids concentration, as well as the molar ratio of concentration of acetic acid to formic acid.
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