Abstract:
Based on the method of Grand Canonical Monte Carlo and molecular dynamic simulation, the adsorption, diffusion and permeation behavior of H
2O in PBT polyether polyurethane (PU
PBT) elastomer were simulated. The results show that the heat of adsorption of H
2O on PU
PBT at 298, 318, 338, 358 K is 41.15, 40.23, 36.84, 34.16 kJ/mol, respectively, in the fugacity range of 0~1000 kPa. The adsorption equilibrium has been reached when the temperature is 298 K. With the increase of temperature, the adsorption capacity of PU
PBT toward H
2O is declined. The adsorption of H
2O on PU
PBT is not a uniform adsorption, H
2O molecules are adsorbed to the lower potential energy region near the center of the holes in the polymer. When the pressure is 101 kPa, the free volume fractions of H
2O/PU
PBT are 14.37%, 15.55%, 17.00% and 17.85%, and the diffusion coefficients of H
2O into PU
PBT are 1.488×10
−6, 1.999×10
−6, 4.086×10
−6 and 4.462×10
−6 cm
2/s, respectively, at the temperature of 298, 318, 338, 358 K. And the diffusion of H
2O into PU
PBT is not a uniform diffusion, but a jump-motion diffusion in free volumes. The solubility coefficient of H
2O molecules in PU
PBT is the major factor that affects the permeability coefficient of the system. With the increase of temperature, the permeability coefficient of H
2O into PU
PBT decreases gradually.