An oxygen permeability predictive model without geometric factors for immiscible polymer blended films based on fractal and percolation theory

Abstract

Abstract A new predictive model for oxygen permeability is proposed based on fractal and percolation theory. This model serves as a feasible approach for predicting oxygen permeability of immiscible polymer blended films without geometric factors. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze the microstructure of LDPE/EVOH film to determine the Euclidean dimension of permeability. The results for the model were then compared with experimental data. These results indicate that the permeation of oxygen in immiscible polymer blended films can be simplified into a 2-D percolation, and the proposed model is in good agreement with the experimental data. This model can be used to predict the oxygen permeability of immiscible polymer blended films and overcomes the shortcomings of previous models with geometry factors.