The kinetics of paper degradation has been reviewed briefly and updated in order to emphasise
the key factors that have been (and still are) largely neglected in the interpretation of experimental
results.
A simple re-elaboration of the literature data reveals many questionable statements in the field
of paper conservation science. In particular, it is shown that accelerated ageing techniques do not
allow any prediction of the life expectancy of paper, owing to the exponential structure of the
Arrhenius relationship. Moreover, some results obtained from viscometric analyses appear misinterpreted,
since the experimental planning does not differentiate the actual (hydrolytic) from
the potential (oxidative) degradation of cellulose. Finally, the widely utilised pseudo zero-order
kinetics of degradation leads to questionable statements, since most of the mechanisms of paper
degradation do not follow such a simple pathway, so that the results of the research in the field of
paper conservation science should be in part revised.
