Diffusion and solution of methanol vapor in poly(2-vinylpyridine)- block- polyisoprene and poly(2-vinylpyridine)-block-polystyrene

Abstract

Diffusion and solution behavior of methanol vapor in two diblock copolymers, poly(2-vinylpyridine)—block—polyisoprene [P(2VPbI)] and poly(2-vinylpyridine)—block—polystyrene [P(2VPbS)], was studied by the weighing method at 25°C. The domain structure of films of both copolymers showed an alternating lamellar arrangement. Methanol is a good solvent for P2VP, but a nonsolvent for PI and PS. Methanol dissolved exclusively in the P2VP phase of the copolymers. For both copolymer systems, absorption and desorption processes of non-Fickian type were observed as characterized by a thickness anomaly. However, the magnitude of the deviations from purely Fickian behavior was small, and the integral diffusion coefficient, D̄, was obtainable with reasonable accuracy. At low and medium concentrations, D̄ for P(2VPbI) was greater, by about one order of magnitude, than that for P2VP, while D̄ for P(2VPbS) was lower than that for P2VP. A similar trend was observed in plots of the permeability coefficient against the vapor pressure of methanol. The results indicate that the rubbery PI phase may facilitate the transport of penetrant molecules in the P(2VPbI) film. On the other hand, the glassy PS phase in the P(2VPbS) film merely interferes with the transport of methanol molecules.