| Abstract: | The diffusion of sulfur mustard (SM) and oxygen mustard (OM) in polypropylene (PP) and biaxial-oriented PP (BOPP) was measured using Fourier transform infrared–attenuated total reflectance (FTIR–ATR) spectroscopy, which allows one to study the diffusion of liquid through thin polymer films in situ. The temperature-dependent diffusion coefficients of OM and SM for PP and BOPP are also reported; these are in good agreement with the values obtained by the weight gain method. The activation energy of diffusion is determined by both methods. The polymer–penetrant interaction parameter (K) and transport number (n) are calculated for the system PP/OM and BOPP/OM by weight gain method. The “n” values indicate a Fickian mode of diffusion. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. |
