MOLECULAR-TRANSPORT OF AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS THROUGH CROSS-LINKED STYRENE-BUTADIENE RUBBER MEMBRANES

Molecular transport of aromatic hydrocarbons through crosslinked SBR h as been carried out in the temperature range 25-65 degrees C. SBR has been vulcanized by four different vulcanizing techniques viz., convent ional, efficient, dicumyl peroxide and a mixture consisting of sulfur and peroxide. SBR vulcanized with EV system showed highest solvent upt ake tendency and that vulcanized with peroxide showed the lowest. The influence of penetrant size on sorption behaviour of SBR has been exam ined. The thermodynamic constants such as standard entropy, standard e nthalpy and first-order kinetic rate constant have been evaluated. A c orrelation between theoretical and experimental sorption results was e valuated. The polymer-solvent interaction parameter (chi) was also com puted from the diffusion data. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd .