Performances of glassy polymer membranes plasticized by interacting penetrants

The present paper deals with performances of glassy polymer membranes plasticized by interacting penetrants. The objects for investigation were polar gases and vapours such as ammonia, sulphur dioxide, freons, water as well as their mixtures with simple gases. The polymer were made of polyamides, polyheteroarylenes, derivatives of cellulose, polyurethanes, polyureas as well as block copolymers with flexible and rigid fragments containing active groups: polyether(ester) urethanes and polyether(ester) ureas. In the case of specific interaction between the penetrant and active groups of the polymer (donor–acceptor, ion–dipole and hydrogen bonding) plasticization of the polymer or rigid fragment of the block copolymer is observed producing a change in thermodynamical, diffusion and mechanical properties of the polymer as well as abnormal temperature dependence of diffusion properties of the polymer membranes. Comprehensive investigation of these properties has been carried out in a broad concentration/temperature range. General regularities of the physico-chemical processes observed have been generalized.