Sorption Equilibrium in Relation to the Spatial Distribution of Molecules — Application to Desorption of Potato

An analysis of desorption isotherms for potato shows the following probable qualities in the water-potato system. In the natural state the water is bound rather strongly due to loss of rotational degrees of freedom in the sorbed molecules, which is caused by small molecular voids in the cellulose structure. This structure therefore is formed as a uniformly cross bound state of the OH-groups. This state prevails up to a certain temperature, above which a reaction sets in, where OH bonds are successively broken, giving possibility for a partial rotation of sorbed molecules. In the range of lower moisture content the cellulose structure is changed into a crystalline state as in wood, although the degree of crystallinity is lower, which is the probable reason why the statistical fluctuations in the isotherms are greater for potato than for wood.