• Membrane Journal
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.139-147
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• 2000

Non-Fickian (or anomalous) diffusion was observed in transient sorption of aromatic solvents(such as benzene, toluene, and chlorobenzene) in fluoropolymers (such as ETFE, ECTFE and PVDF). In this study, five other transient sorption models (Crank, Long ＆ Richman, Berens ＆ Hopfenberg, Neogi, Li) based on Fick's law were employed to fit the anomalous sorption data for aromatic solvents. The adjustable parameters were determined by least square analysis of the measured and predicted fractional uptake. For ETFE sorption data slightly deviating from Fickian behavior, all the models exhibited satisfactory results in fitting the anomalous sorption data. In particular, Neogj model predicted intrinsic diffusivity (0.4～0.8$\times$10$^{-5}$ $\textrm{cm}^2$/day) and equilibrium diffusivity (0.13～0.31$\times$10$^{-4}$ $\textrm{cm}^2$/day) as well as relaxation kinetics related to non-Fickain diffusion. For a typical sigmoidal sorption behavior in PVDF, only Crank's model could give the reasonable evaluation on transport properties. The ratio of intial diffusivity (D$_{i}$) to final equilibrium diffusivity (D$_{\infty}$) was ranged from 80 to 200. For the final stage of uptake In ECTFE with drastic acceleration, all the models exhibited significant deviations from the sorption data. New diffusion models based on thermodynamics and continuum mechanics should be employed to get valuable information on transport properties as well as relaxation kinetics coupled with non-Fickian diffusion.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.24-34
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• 2004

Transient sorption experiments were conducted among several combinations of fluoropolymers and various organic solvents. Fully fluorinated polymer tended to exhibit ideal sorption behavior, while partially fluorinated polymers showed anomalous sorption behaviors with a drastic acceleration at the final stage of uptake. Minimization of least-squares of the measured and predicted fractional uptake, which indicated the increasing degree of deviation from Fickian diffusion, gave values of 3.0${\times}$10$\^$-4/, 1.75${\times}$10$\^$-3/, 8.68${\times}$10/sup-3/, 1.75${\times}$10$\^$-2/, respectively, for perfluoroalkoxy copolymer, poly(ethylene-co-tetrafluoroethylene), poly(vinylidene fluoride), poly(ethylene-co-chlorotrifluoroethylene). From stress-strain tests, it was confirmed that non-Fickian diffusion is closely related to the significant variation of mechanical properties (such as modulus and tensile strength) of swollen polymer. Anomalous sorption behavior stemmed from non-Fickian diffusion caused by nonlinear disruption of polar inter-segmental bonds due to solvent-induced plasticization. Thus, it is imperative to investigate the diffusion behavior of swelling solvents in partially fluorinated polymers, especially for the application to barrier materials or perm-selective membranes.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 1996.04a
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• pp.34-35
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• 1996

The diffusional behavior of many non-solvents in glassy or semicrystalline polymers cannot be adequately described by a concentration-dependent form of Fick's law, especially when mass transfer is coupled with structural changes. Many mathematical models have been devised to interprete non-Fickian diffusion dominated by relaxation kinetics. In formulation of non-Fickian diffusion mathematics, therefore, the most important factor to consider is how relaxation effects can influence the governing constitutive equation and boundary conditions. That is, relaxation parameters can be accommodated by variable boundary conditions or a modified continuity equation, or both, depending on specific systems and conditions (Frish, 1980). Accoring to Astarita and Nicolais (1983), the model equations can be broadly categorized as continuous or discontinuous. Continuous model equations encompass phenomena where the structural change takes place gradually over the whole volume of the polymer sample (Crank, 1953; Long and Richman, 1961; Berens and Hopfenberg, 1978). On the other hand, discontinuous model equations deal with the phenomena where the morphological change appears to be abrupt (Li, 1984). Four mathematical models with different relaxation parameters were applied to fit the anomalous sorption data observed in fluoropolymers (PVDF, ECTFE). The fitted result for PVDF-benzene sorption data is shown in Fig. 1.