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Integral sorption with induced crystallization
Author(s) -
Durning C. J.,
Rebenfeld L.,
Russel W. B.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
polymer engineering and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1548-2634
pISSN - 0032-3888
DOI - 10.1002/pen.760261507
Subject(s) - sorption , materials science , crystallization , swelling , penetrant (biochemical) , polymer , amorphous solid , diffusion , chemical engineering , polymer chemistry , methylene , polyethylene terephthalate , thermal diffusivity , chloride , formamide , composite material , chemistry , thermodynamics , organic chemistry , metallurgy , adsorption , physics , engineering
We studied the integral sorption of saturated, organic vapors in amorphous films of poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) using a spring balance apparatus. The penetrants employed (methylene chloride [MeCl 2 ] and N. N. dimethyl formamide [DMF]) induce substantial crystallization of the polymer during sorption. The experimental data (mass of vapor absorbed versus exposure time) do not obey Fick's law for diffusion but reflect the influence of time dependent polymer swelling and crystallization. The data show that polymer swelling controls the penetrant transport in thin films, while molecular diffusion in the highly swollen semi‐crystalline polymer controls in thick films. Small activation energies were found for transport in thin films suggesting that ductile deformation controls the swelling in PET. A mathematical model developed previously explains the important features of the experiments.