Kinetics of water vapor sorption in sulfonated polyimide membranes

• Published in: Desalination Vol. 148; no. 1; pp. 333 - 339
• Main Authors: Detallante, Virginie, Langevin, Dominique, Chappey, Corinne, Métayer, Michel, Mercier, Régis, Pinéri, Michel
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 10.09.2002; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Chemical Sciences; Clustering; Exact sciences and technology; Exchange resins and membranes; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Fuel cell membranes; Ionomers; Kinetics; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Polymers; Sulfonated polyimides; Technology of polymers; Water sorption; Water sorption; Kinetics; Clustering; Sulfonated polyimides; Fuel cell membranes; Ionomers; Ionomer; Sorption; Etherimide copolymer; Aromatic copolymer; Membrane; Imide copolymer; Kinetic parameter; Diffusion coefficient; Experimental study; Water vapor; Sulfonate copolymer
• ISSN: 0011-9164; 1873-4464
• DOI: 10.1016/S0011-9164(02)00726-9

Water vapour sorption kinetics in a H + form naphtalenic sulfonated polyimide membrane at 25°C has been investigated by using an electronic microbalance (IGA, Hiden). An effective diffusion coefficient D exp has been calculated from kinetic data by using the Fickian model for the final part of the sorption. The variation of D exp with the equilibrium water activity (0< a wequi<1) has been analysed considering the different sorption modes involved. The increase of D exp with increasing a wequi at low activities is explained on the basis of a dual mode (Henry—Langmuir) sorption model whereas the decrease of D exp for the higher activities calls for the reduced mobility of water involved in the dilution of multiplets and for the immobilization of sorbed water by clustering.