Henry's Law of Sorption in Rubbery Polymers

[Ross84]

Hi everyone,

This is my first time posting here, so I apologize in advanced for not knowing the culture of this site. Please be patient, I will learn. :)

I'm studying the sorption behaviors of gases in polymers and I have a question about sorption in rubbery polymers following Henry's law of sorption. I know it is a weak interaction between polymer and penetrant, but what is the driving force for the process. Holding critical temperature of gas, system temperature and pressure constant and dismissing facilitated transport. What interaction is there between the polymer and penetrant? Is it just Van Der Waals interaction that makes it soluble? I read several articles, book sections, etc and I think I understand what they are stating but I don't feel satisfied that I understand the process in its entirety. If you guys have a good article or information I would really appreciate it.

Thank you,

Ross

 

[Zefram]

Hello Ross,

Welcome to the forum! No need to apologize, we are always happy to have new members and help each other learn.

To answer your question, the driving force for sorption in rubbery polymers is mainly attributed to Van Der Waals interactions between the polymer chains and the gas molecules. These interactions are weak, but when the gas molecules come into close proximity with the polymer chains, they can be attracted to the polymer and become "dissolved" in it. The strength of these interactions can also be affected by the temperature and pressure of the system, as well as the chemical structure of the polymer and the gas molecule.

There may also be some additional interactions, such as hydrogen bonding or dipole-dipole interactions, depending on the specific polymer and gas involved. However, these are typically not as significant as Van Der Waals interactions in rubbery polymers.

I would recommend looking into specific studies on the sorption of gases in rubbery polymers, as they may provide more detailed information on the interactions involved. Additionally, understanding the structure and properties of both the polymer and gas molecules can also give insight into their interactions.

I hope this helps and good luck with your research! Let us know if you have any other questions.