Oxygen Diffusion Into Polymer-Clay Composite Films as a Function of Clay Content and Temperature

Abstract

A simple fluorescence technique is proposed for the measurement of the diffusion coefficient of oxygen into polystyrene-clay composite films as a function of clay content and temperature. The composite films were prepared from a mixture of surfactant-free pyrene-labeled polystyrene latexes and modified Na-montmorillonite clay of various compositions at room temperature. Diffusion measurements were performed with films at room temperature for seven different clay contents (0 5 10 20 30 50 and 60 wt.%). The diffusion coefficients of oxygen increased from 7.4 x 10(-10) to 26.9 x 10(-10) cm(2)s(-1) with increasing clay content. On the other hand diffusion measurements were performed over a temperature range Of 25-70 degrees C for 0 5 and 20 wt.% clay content films. The calculated diffusion activation energies decreased from 2.44 to 0.44 kcal/mol with increasing clay content. No clay content and temperature effects were observed on quenching rate constant and mutual diffusion coefficient values. The results showed that the diffusion coefficients are strongly dependent on both the temperature and clay content in the film.