Glassine
Encyclopedia
Glassine is a very thin and smooth paper
that is air and water resistant
. It is translucent unless dye
s are added to color it or make it opaque
. It is manufactured by supercalendering
: after pressing and drying, the paper web is passed through a stack of alternating steel and fiber-covered rolls called supercalender at the end of the paper machine such that the paper fibres flatten facing in the same direction.
, especially to protect fine illustrations contact with facing pages; the paper can be manufactured with a neutral pH
, and can prevent damage from spilling, exposure, or rubbing. Glassine adhesive tape
has been used in book repair. In chemistry
, glassine is used as an inexpensive weighing paper. It is used in foodservice
as a barrier between strips of products (for example: meat, baked goods). Glassine is resistant to grease
and facilitates separation of individual foodstuffs.
Glassine is also recommended for protecting the surface of stored acrylic paintings.
Glassine is used as a base paper for making greaseproof paper
.
Philatelists
use glassine envelopes to store stamps, and stamp hinge
s are sometimes made of glassine.
Amateur insect collectors use glassine envelopes to store specimens temporarily in the field before they are mounted in a collection. Entomologists collecting for research may likewise use glassine envelopes to store whole specimens in the field. However, if the research involves DNA or other tissue analysis the relevant parts of the body (for example: abdomen or testes) will be placed immediately in a preservative such as ethanol. When this is done for Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) the wings will often be separated and stored indefinitely in glassine envelopes in case the wing patterning or venation is required later to confirm the identity of a specimen.
Glassine envelopes are used to carry pharmacy reformulated drug
s and prohibited drugs such as cocaine
and heroin.
In the mid-20th century, potato chip
s were packaged in glassine bags.
Glassine packages firecracker
s.
Glassine is an outer covering on cardboard tubes, particularly those used in model rocketry, for strength and water protection.
Paper
Paper is a thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon, drawing or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
that is air and water resistant
Water resistance
Water resistance may refer to:* wet strength, a measure of how well a fibreweb is holds together upon a force of rupture* waterproofing, making objects relatively unaffected by water or resisting the ingress of water under specified conditions...
. It is translucent unless dye
Dye
A dye is a colored substance that has an affinity to the substrate to which it is being applied. The dye is generally applied in an aqueous solution, and requires a mordant to improve the fastness of the dye on the fiber....
s are added to color it or make it opaque
Opacity (optics)
Opacity is the measure of impenetrability to electromagnetic or other kinds of radiation, especially visible light. In radiative transfer, it describes the absorption and scattering of radiation in a medium, such as a plasma, dielectric, shielding material, glass, etc...
. It is manufactured by supercalendering
Calender
The calender is a series of hard pressure rollers used to form or smooth a sheet of material. In a principal application, the calender is located at the end of a papermaking process . Those that are used separate from the process are also called supercalenders...
: after pressing and drying, the paper web is passed through a stack of alternating steel and fiber-covered rolls called supercalender at the end of the paper machine such that the paper fibres flatten facing in the same direction.
Usage
Glassine is employed as an interleaving paper in bookbindingBookbinding
Bookbinding is the process of physically assembling a book from a number of folded or unfolded sheets of paper or other material. It usually involves attaching covers to the resulting text-block.-Origins of the book:...
, especially to protect fine illustrations contact with facing pages; the paper can be manufactured with a neutral pH
PH
In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at . Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline...
, and can prevent damage from spilling, exposure, or rubbing. Glassine adhesive tape
Adhesive tape
Adhesive tape is one of many varieties of backing materials coated with an adhesive. Several types of adhesives can be used.-Types:Pressure sensitive tape...
has been used in book repair. In chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, glassine is used as an inexpensive weighing paper. It is used in foodservice
Foodservice
Food Service or catering industry defines those businesses, institutions, and companies responsible for any meal prepared outside the home...
as a barrier between strips of products (for example: meat, baked goods). Glassine is resistant to grease
Fat
Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and generally insoluble in water. Chemically, fats are triglycerides, triesters of glycerol and any of several fatty acids. Fats may be either solid or liquid at room temperature, depending on their structure...
and facilitates separation of individual foodstuffs.
Glassine is also recommended for protecting the surface of stored acrylic paintings.
Glassine is used as a base paper for making greaseproof paper
Greaseproof paper
Greaseproof paper is paper that is impermeable to oil or grease and is normally used in cooking or food packaging. Normally greaseproof paper is produced by refining the paper stock and thus create a sheet with very low porosity. This sheet is supercalendered to further improve the density...
.
Philatelists
Philately
Philately is the study of stamps and postal history and other related items. Philately involves more than just stamp collecting, which does not necessarily involve the study of stamps. It is possible to be a philatelist without owning any stamps...
use glassine envelopes to store stamps, and stamp hinge
Stamp hinge
In philately stamp hinges or mounts are small, folded, transparent, rectangular pieces of paper coated with a mild gum. They are used by stamp collectors to affix postage stamps onto the pages of a stamp album.- Use :...
s are sometimes made of glassine.
Amateur insect collectors use glassine envelopes to store specimens temporarily in the field before they are mounted in a collection. Entomologists collecting for research may likewise use glassine envelopes to store whole specimens in the field. However, if the research involves DNA or other tissue analysis the relevant parts of the body (for example: abdomen or testes) will be placed immediately in a preservative such as ethanol. When this is done for Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) the wings will often be separated and stored indefinitely in glassine envelopes in case the wing patterning or venation is required later to confirm the identity of a specimen.
Glassine envelopes are used to carry pharmacy reformulated drug
Drug
A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.In pharmacology, a...
s and prohibited drugs such as cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and heroin.
In the mid-20th century, potato chip
Potato chip
Potato chips are thin slices of potato that are deep fried...
s were packaged in glassine bags.
Glassine packages firecracker
Firecracker
A firecracker is a small explosive device primarily designed to produce a large amount of noise, especially in the form of a loud bang; any visual effect is incidental to this goal. They have fuses, and are wrapped in a heavy paper casing to contain the explosive compound...
s.
Glassine is an outer covering on cardboard tubes, particularly those used in model rocketry, for strength and water protection.