Vinegar syndrome

For the home video distribution company, see Vinegar Syndrome.

Shrinking and warpage of 16 mm film caused by vinegar syndrome
Bubbling and warpage of a laptop's LCD polarizer caused by vinegar syndrome

Vinegar syndrome, also known as acetic acid syndrome,[1] is a condition created by the deacetylation of cellulose acetates (usually cellulose diacetate) and cellulose triacetate.[2] This deacetylation produces acetic acid, giving off a vinegar odor that gives the condition its name; as well, objects undergoing vinegar syndrome often shrink, become brittle, and form crystals on their surface due to the migration of plasticizers.[3] Vinegar syndrome widely affects cellulose acetate film as used in photography.[4] It has also been observed to affect older magnetic tape, where cellulose acetate is used as a base, as well as polarizers used in liquid-crystal display units and everyday plastics such as containers and tableware.[5][6][7][8] High temperatures and fluctuations in relative humidity have been observed to accelerate the process.[3] The process is autocatalytic, and the damage done by vinegar syndrome is irreversible.[3][4]

  1. ^ Jia, Zhihui; Jing Li; Yuhu Li; Yunpeng Qi; Daodao Hu; Huiping Xing; Xiaolian Chao (October 2, 2020). "The treatment of microbubble disease of 20th century cellulose acetate microfilm: application of ethyl cellulose and microrepair method". Heritage Science. 8. Springer Science+Business Media. doi:10.1186/s40494-020-00444-6.
  2. ^ Wypych, George (2023). Handbook of Odors in Plastic Materials. Elsevier Science. p. 130. ISBN 9781774670217 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ a b c Ahmad, Ida R.; Deborah Cane; Joyce H. Townsend; Cristian Triana; Luca Mazzei; Katherine Curran (February 2020). "Are we overestimating the permanence of cellulose triacetate cinematographic films? A mathematical model for the vinegar syndrome" (PDF). Polymer Degradation and Stability. 172. Elsevier Science: 109050. doi:10.1016/j.polymdegradstab.2019.109050. ISSN 0141-3910. S2CID 214126667.
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Ahmad was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Holmes, Thom (2013). The Routledge Guide to Music Technology. Taylor & Francis. p. 245 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ Bonifacio, Alessandro; Lorenzo Bonetti; Etienne Piantanida; Luigi de Nardo (October 10, 2023). "Plasticizer design strategies enabling advanced applications of cellulose acetate". European Polymer Journal. 197. Elsevier Science: 112360. Bibcode:2023EurPJ.19712360B. doi:10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2023.112360. hdl:11311/1248700. ISSN 0014-3057. S2CID 260850562.
  7. ^ Wolfs, Jonas; Michael A. R. Meier (2021). "A more sustainable synthesis approach for cellulose acetate using the DBU/CO2 switchable solvent system". Green Chemistry. 23 (12). Royal Society of Chemistry: 4410–4420. doi:10.1039/D1GC01508G. S2CID 236263672.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference plastics was invoked but never defined (see the help page).