Performances of glassy polymer membranes plasticized by interacting penetrants

The present paper deals with performances of glassy polymer membranes plast icized by interacting penetrants. The objects for investigation were polar gases and vapours such as ammonia, sulphur dioxide, freons, water as well a s their mixtures with simple gases. The polymer were made of polyamides, po lyheteroarylenes, derivatives of cellulose, polyurethanes, polyureas as wel l as block copolymers with flexible and rigid fragments containing active g roups: polyether(ester) urethanes and polyether(ester) ureas. In the case o f specific interaction between the penetrant and active groups of the polym er (donor-acceptor, ion-dipole and hydrogen bonding) plasticization of the polymer or rigid fragment of the block copolymer is observed producing a ch ange in thermodynamical, diffusion and mechanical properties of the polymer as well as abnormal temperature dependence of diffusion properties of the polymer membranes. Comprehensive investigation of these properties has been carried out in a broad concentration/temperature range. General regulariti es of the physico-chemical processes observed have been generalized. (C) 20 00 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.