Abstract
This document reviews degradation phenomenology and life modelling of paper, illustrates different approaches, showing their advantages and applicability limits and raises problems relevant to practical applications of degradation indicators and degradation rate models and evaluation of paper permanence and durability. It deals with the fundamentals of paper degradation rate theory and life modelling, seeks to develop the degradation rate equations of paper that will closely track real degradation experimental results over extended period under practical service conditions, shows a collection of degradation rate and life data of different paper and paper insulation materials under a varied of in-service environmental conditions, develops continuous distribution kinetics theory of cellulose and paper degradation to form a united basis in deriving the traditional Ekenstam degradation rate equation and the alternative percentage DP (and TS) loss rate equations recently proposed by the present author and his coworker, and presents effective methodology for combining time temperature superposition method and paper degradation investigation towards a more reliable prediction of rate and life of paper degradation over a long time period under real in-service conditions.
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