Sorption studies of nylon

Abstract

Sorption is the penetration and dispersion of the molecules of an ambient gas, vapour or liquid onto and/or throughout a solid such as polymer. Sorption studies of polymers were performed to analyze the polymer’s behaviour due to the presence of penetrant. In this experiment, sorption behaviours (weight gained and concentration) of nylon-6,6 and nylon-6 in ethanol–water mixtures of different composition were studied.

Nylon-6,6 and nylon-6 films of dimensions 3.5 cm x 1 cm x 0.1 cm were synthesized from its pellet form. Ethanol–water mixtures of compositions varying from 0–100 vol% ethanol were prepared. Nylon films were soaked in the mixture and their weight gained measured. Concentration profile of the mixture was also analyzed by gas chromatography (GC). Both weight and concentration measurements were taken until the weight gained of the nylon reached steady-state.

Analysis of the sorption data showed that both nylon-6,6 and nylon-6 have the highest weight gained percent in a 20 vol% and 10 vol% ethanol mixture respectively and lowest weight gained percent in a 90 vol% and 80 vol% ethanol mixture respectively. Both nylons were observed to have a greater sorption of the component which is abundant in the mixture.