Abstract
The purpose of this article was to theoretically study the non-Fickian moisture absorption process in vegetable-fiber-reinforced polymer composites using a Langmuir-type model. Here, the focus was on evaluating the effect of the water layer thickness that surrounds the composite during the water migration process. The solutions of the governing equations were obtained using the finite volume method, considering constant thermophysical properties and non-deformable material. The results for the local and average moisture content and concentration, gradient values, and the transient rates of the free and bound (water) molecules in the process were presented and analyzed. It was observed that the water layer thickness strongly influenced the water absorption kinetics, the moisture content gradient values, and the equilibrium moisture content inside the material. It is envisaged that this new approach will contribute to better interpretation of experimental data and a better understanding of the physical phenomenon of water absorption, which directly affects the properties of composite materials.
Highlights
In recent years, growing environmental concerns have encouraged several industrial sectors to adapt their technologies and products to meet sustainable demands
Water tends to penetrate into the material through the concentration gradient until reaching the saturation condition, whereby the equilibrium with the external environment is reached
It is possible to verify that the water layer thickness close to the composite surface strongly affects the water absorption process
Summary
In recent years, growing environmental concerns have encouraged several industrial sectors to adapt their technologies and products to meet sustainable demands. The concept of “green materials”, or “eco-friendly materials”, has been standing out in the scientific and industrial fields [1] In this sense, the use of vegetable fibers as reinforcement in polymeric matrix composites instead of conventional synthetic fibers presents numerous advantages, which may result in products with acceptable performance and costs and the potential for different applications [2,3,4]. The chemical structures of vegetable fibers makes the composites produced from them more sensitive to the influence of external environmental factors, such as temperature and moisture Due to their polar and hydrophilic nature, when exposed to moisture, these materials will inevitably absorb water, causing swelling in the fibers and changes in their properties, decrease their durability during operation [5]. In-depth studies related to these phenomena are essential in order to clarify the consequences of moisture exposure on the mechanical, physical, and chemical properties of these composites and to find alternative solutions this important problem
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