Xuan paper is a unique high-quality paper originating in ancient China. It is considered the best material for the calligraphy and painting andhas a reputation as “the king of paper that lasts for 1000 years”. 2009 it came on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Xuan paper is produced only in Anhui province from the bark of Pteroceltis tatarinowii, a common species of elm, with limestone particles deposited on the surface which can neutralize acids produced by the hydrolysis of plant fibers and from the environment. A team around ZHU Yingjie from CAS Shanghai Institute of Ceramics now developed an improved kind of “fire-resistant Xuan paper” based on ultralong hydroxyapatite nanowires used as the main building material and micrometer-sized silica glass fibers as the reinforcing framework material. In addition, a new kind of inorganic adhesive composed of amorphous nanoparticles was added. The production process is simple, highly efficient, and needs only 3~4 days. The original whiteness of the new Xuan paper was 92%, and whiteness retention was 94.2 % after simulated aging for 3000 years. When exposed to different kinds of mould spores, even in the presence of nutrients, they did not grow. The most important property is, however, that the new Xuan paper is fire resistant and exhibits high thermal stability.CAS news release, January 18, 2019
CAS news release, January 18, 2019
