Jm. Won et al., PLASTICIZATION OF CHITOSAN MEMBRANE FOR PERVAPORATION OF AQUEOUS-ETHANOL SOLUTION, The Korean journal of chemical engineering, 13(3), 1996, pp. 324-327
The process of pervaporation in which two components diffuse through a
nonporous polymer membrane was modelled when one of the penetrants ca
n exert a plasticization action to the membrane material. Thereat a ph
enomenological model was employed for describing the plasticization ef
fect on the diffusivities for penetrants in the membrane. The sorption
equilibria and permeation fluxes for aqueous ethanol solutions in a c
hitosan membrane were measured, and the permeation fluxes for water we
re compared with those predicted by the proposed model. The concentrat
ion of sorbed water was linear with its weight fraction (x(A)) in the
feed solution, whereas the permeation flux of water was affected by th
e plasticization action of sorbed water to the polymer. This plasticiz
ation effect on the diffusion process can be simulated in terms of the
proposed phenomenological model.