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The greatest risk to magnetic tapes results from the instability of the chemical binding agents. A considerable number of video and audio tapes from the 70's and 80's have been destroyed. Atmospheric moisture is absorbed by the pigment binder causing the polymer to hydrolyse and lose its binding properties. Tapes of this kind leave a sticky deposit of magnetic particles on the playback heads. This clogs the heads and swiftly makes the tape unreadable. This problem has been found especially in hot and humid regions where many tapes do not last longer than a few years.
© Sound Archives - Austrian Academy of Sciences

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