Effect of penetrants on the aramid Nomex

The response of Nomex sheets to some penetrants has been analyzed. The process of moisture uptake depends on the relative humidity (RH) of the ambient atmosphere and the initial characteristics of the polymer. In the case of common laboratory solvents,the uptake by the polymer shows an inverse dependence on the molar volume of the former. Although the calendered and the uncalendered Nomex sheets exhibit an overall similarity in their response to various penetrants,quantitative comparison reveals distinct differences.