ISSN:
0449-2978
Keywords:
Physics
;
Polymer and Materials Science
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Physics
Notes:
The diffusive permeability of water P, which relates to diffusive flux of water under a concentration gradient of water (measured by diffusion of tritiated water), and the hydraulic permeability of water K, which relates to the water flux under a hydraulic pressure gradient are defined. For the case of diffusive transport one has P = KRT/ν1, where ν1 is the molar volume of water. The relationship between P and K was investigated as a function of hydration H, i.e., the volume fraction of water in swollen polymer membranes. The following characteristic features of water permeability are revealed. (a) In the lowhydration region (H 〈 0.2), water permeates by diffusion even under an applied hydraulic pressure gradient and KRT/ν1 = P. (b) In the higher hydration region KRT/ν1 is greater than P, and the ratio ω = KRT/ν1P increases nearly exponentially with decrease of (1-H)/H. Water in this region moves partly by bulk flow under an applied hydraulic pressure gradient but moves only by diffusion in the absence of a pressure gradient. (c) The dependence of log P on (1-H)/H is nearly linear in regions of both high and low hydration but the slopes are different. The transition occurs in about the same H range where the discrepancy between P and KRT/ν1 becomes significant. Excellent agreement was found between the experimental data for P as a function of H and the theoretical prediction based on the free-volume concept of diffusive transport in hydrated homogeneous membranes.
Additional Material:
5 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pol.1971.160090608
