Self-Diffusion of Small Molecules in Rubbers

The diffusion of small molecules in rubbers is of both theoretical and practical importance. The theories of diffusion based on consideration of free volume can be tested by measurement of self-diffusion using methods such as pulsed field gradient NMR. Selfdiffusion of small molecules must be understood for applications of rubbers as seals in contact with solvents, and for example for diffusion of plasticisers and other small molecules. 

The self-diffusion of benzene in PIB [36], cyclohexane in BR [37] and toluene in PIB [38-40] has been investigated by PFG NMR. In addition more recently Schlick and co-workers [41] have measured the self-diffusion of benzene and cyclohexane mixtures in polyisoprene. In the first reported study of this kind, Boss and co-workers [36] measured the self-diffusion coefficients of benzene in polyisoprene at 70.4 °C. The increase in Dself with increasing solvent volume fraction could be described by the Fujita-Doolittle theory which states that the rate of self-diffusion scales with the free volume which in turn increases linearly with temperature. At higher solvent volume fractions the rate of selfdiffusion deviates from the Fujita-Doolittle theory, as the entanglement density decreased below the critical value. 

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