An interesting proposition. Does plastic still
out-gas even if it's
vacuum-packed?
Probably faster. I would think a helium environment would be better, but I
am no chemist.
I would tend to agree. The lower the external pressure (e.g. by vacuum
packing), the more likely things are to outgas.
The problem with helium is that the atom is so small that it will difuse
though just about anything. This is a problem with some HeNe laser tubes
which lose their helium over time. Perhaps one of the heavier intert
gases would be suitable for packing plastics, but I am not sure it would
do that much good.
-tony