INTERACTIONS OF CHLOROSULFONATED POLYETHYLENE GEOMEMBRANES WITH ALIPHATIC ESTERS - SORPTION AND DIFFUSION PHENOMENA

The resistance of chlorosulfonated polyethylene geomembranes to nine a liphatic esters viz., methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, methyl acetoaceta te, ethyl acetoacetate, n-butyl acetate, diethyl oxalate, iso-amyl ace tate, diethyl malonate, and diethyl succinate was investigated in the temperature interval 25-60 degrees C by measuring the liquid sorption using a gravimetric method. A Fickian diffusion equation was used to c alculate the diffusion coefficients, and these data were dependent on the type of ester molecules and their interactions with the geomembran e, in addition to temperature and solvent concentration. The activatio n energy values for the diffusion process were in the range 18-41 kJ/m ole and the heat of sorption varied from 0.61 to 18.50 kJ/mole. The so rption/swelling results were found to follow the first order kinetics. Solvent front velocities were calculated from the sorption data. The statistical error analysis has been presented in order to judge the re liability of the technique used. The experimental data and calculated parameters were used to discuss transport results in terms of membrane -solvent interactions. None of the esters showed any degradative effec ts on the geomembrane used.