Possibility of using polymer banknotes for Egyptian currency production

Abstract

Nowdays the polymer notes became a strong substitute for paper notes, as many countries issued their currency using polymer because of their advantages over paper . The importance of this research is to explain the possibility of using polymer instead of paper in Egyptian currency, by examining the technical appropriateness with the same equipments of the banknote printing plant in central bank of Egypt. One of the most important results of this research is that the polymeric currency represented in five Canadian dollars (first sample) had significant endurance properties than the paper currency represented in Egyptian twenty pounds (Second sample), this results were achieved by comparing the endurance properties of the two materials after laboratory tests done. Also, the production process of polymer note printing is the same as the production process of paper note printing. The research recommends to print polymer currency in Egypt, due to the suitability of its operational properties and end-use, in addition the circulation life of polymer note is more than two and half times the circulation life of paper note.

Keywords

• paper currency; polymeric currency –polymer note; bursting resistance; tensile resistance – acidic and alkaline resistance – color fastness to rubbing – security features – anti soiling layer- circulation life