This is an excerpt I got off of a comic book site. "What is most important is purchasing archival safe boards (again, there are degrees to this too) ensuring proper care of books for the duration of their storage.Comic book boards have two sides to them: one side is rough and matte, the other side is smooth and glossy. Since boards are only intended to protect one comic, only one side is treated, this is the smooth side of the board. "
I interpret this to mean that only 1 side is treated to be acid free. I have used these boards myself and never thought about the claims of 'acid free'.
I then found this link which performed a test of the comic book boards.
http://boards.collectors-society.com...Number=4534727. Essentially the results said "In contrast, every single buffered board (E Gerber and Bill Cole) passed the acid-free test - on these boards, both sides were pH neutral (or slightly alkaline), and as these boards are buffered throughout (not coated), the entire board can therefore be considered acid-free.
Sounds like we need to buy E Gerber's Half-Back,Bill Cole's Thin-X-Tender, or Bill Cole's Life-X-Tender boards to be truly archival safe. Of course this is not what I have.
Looks like the Bill Cole's are twice as expensive but I found the E Gerber Half back for 9.99 per 100 at comic supply ( sizes/prices vary based on size of comic book).