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Positron annihilation lifetime study of vapor sorption in polypropylene and polytetrafluoroethylene
Author(s) -
Sánchez Victor,
López Rafael,
Fucugauchi Luz Alicia,
Ito Yasuo
Publication year - 1995
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.1995.070560703
Subject(s) - sorption , polymer , cyclohexane , materials science , positronium , polymer chemistry , methacrylate , volume fraction , methyl methacrylate , polytetrafluoroethylene , chemistry , analytical chemistry (journal) , composite material , copolymer , positron , organic chemistry , adsorption , physics , quantum mechanics , electron
Positron annihilation lifetime (PAL) spectra were measured for two different kinds of polymers: polypropylene (PP) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), during sorption of vapors of the following molecules: n ‐hexane, cyclohexane, benzene, methyl methacrylate, acrylic acid, and water. The behavior of ortho ‐positronium ( o ‐Ps) annihilation parameters: lifetime, τ 3 , and intensity, I 3 , can be explained by considering different sorption mechanisms in rubbery and glassy polymers. The mean size of the intermolecular‐space holes and the relative free‐volume fraction of PP and PTFE were estimated before and during the sorption process from the o ‐Ps parameters obtained. Sorption of n ‐hexane, cyclohexane, and benzene in both polymers affect the o ‐Ps component in a systematic way, for PP τ 3 and I 3 tend to decrease, while in PTFE, τ 3 stay almost constant and I 3 diminishes. These effects are interpreted in relation to the different states of the polymers studied: rubbery for PP and glassy for PTFE. In case of methyl methacrylate molecules, the behavior of o ‐Ps parameters was more complicated. For acrylic acid and water, their associated polarity provokes a diminution in I 3 , which is explained from the viewpoint of the spur model of positronium formation. Large changes in the mean size and the fraction of free volume, as well as their constant behavior in some cases, were interpreted to be due to positive or negative interactions, respectively, between vapor molecules and PP and PTFE, which could be correlated with the solvent‐interaction parameters calculated. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.