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With the aim at controlling cellulose degradation phenomena, the natural aging of Whatman paper samples was simulated through different artificial aging processes: thermal oxidation in air at constant temperature, photo-oxidation under Xenon arc lamp, accelerating ageing in climatic chamber, and chemical oxidation with sodium methaperiodate. The cellulose degradation was studied by means of viscosimetric, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) techniques together with thermogravimetric (TGA), mechanical, and optical analyses. All the treatments carried out were found to significantly modify paper structure and properties, the extent of the deterioration effects depending upon the aging kind. Direct correlations were, nevertheless, assessed among level of cellulose molecular degradation, formation of carboxyl, and/or carbonyl groups and paper strain at break.

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