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Absorption of benzene by open‐cell polyurethane foams
Author(s) -
Sefton Michael V.,
Mann John L.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.1980.070250511
Subject(s) - polyurethane , materials science , mass transfer , diffusion , absorption (acoustics) , composite material , matrix (chemical analysis) , diffusion process , thermodynamics , chemistry , chromatography , knowledge management , physics , innovation diffusion , computer science
The rate of absorption of benzene by open‐cell polyurethane foams of varying pore size (30–85 pores per inch) has been shown to be dependent on the size of the foam samples. Mass transport from the bulk vapor to the matrix surface appears to be a significant resistance when compared with the rate of diffusion in the matrix itself. Even though these foams have a large permeability to air at low pressures, pore diffusion appears to be more significant than bulk flow in describing the absorption process, resulting in absorption behavior which is more characterstic of closed‐cell foams. A dual resistance model of the obsorption process, has been used to estimate matrix diffusivities and pore mass transfer coefficients. Although the model was inadequate in some regards to describe completely the absorption process, the significance of the unexpected pore diffusion resistance to mass transfer was quantified. The dependence of pore diffusion on foam size reflected the qualitative interpretation that was apparent from the absorption curves. While the reason for this anomalous behavior remains unknown, open‐cell foams cannot be considered simply as a high‐surface‐area thin‐walled form of the matrix material in describing the absorption process; the effect of foam size must also be considered.