ATOMISTIC MOLECULAR DYNAMICS SIMULATIONS OF GAS DIFFUSION AND SOLUBILITY IN RUBBERY AMORPHOUS HYDROCARBON POLYMERS

Diffusion coefficients D of H 2 , He, O 2 , N 2 , and CO 2 in different rubbery amorphous polymeric matrices were estimated by atomistic molecular dynamics simulations at 298 K using the Einstein relationship, and compared with the relevant experimental values, where available. The simulated diffusion coefficients D of all the gases in all polymers considered almost regularly decreased with increasing molecular gas volumes and increasing polymer glass transition temperature. Further, solubility coefficients and heats of solution were obtained for all gases from Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulations, which were also used to calculate sorption isotherms. In general, there is a good agreement between experimental and simulated values of diffusion and solubility coefficients for all gases considered.