Re: printer paper Message #12 Posted by glynn on 7 June 2002, 3:07 a.m., in response to message #11 by David Smith
As a longtime user of thermal paper (from Timex 1000 and so on), I offer a few hints:
As said, vinyl and plastics will fade it, as well as sunlight and UV sources of all types, and also if you store it face-to-face with other thermal paper, or folding it so it comes into contact with itself.
BUT! pasted into a blank-book or spiral, one side only, kept in a cool dry environment, such as a filing cabinet, the print can actually last years. I found some art blank books with "acid-free" paper, and they store the thermal print just fine, laid between the pages. When I must paste them on the sheet, I use white glue, sparingly, only a dot or two in corners on one side. (Doesn't wrinkle it up so much).
The paper consists of a clay coating on one side which has been impregnated with a chemical which is thermally reactive. Unfortunately it leaches out over time, taking the dark printed areas with it. The chemical is apparently volatile to some degree; so the answer remains in keeping it cool, dark, airless and away from actively-bonding semi-volatiles such as aerosol sprays, achohols and oils, and such. This done, I still have readable printouts from 1983...
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