FTIR-ATR studies of the sorption and diffusion of acetone/water mixtures in poly(vinyl alcohol)

The diffusion kinetics of water and acetone into dried PVOH polymer films have been measured simultaneously using the FTIR-ATR technique. The data have been fitted to a pseudo-Fickian model, along with allowance for a 'lag' time which lengthens considerably when the water mole fraction is low. It has been found that a case II model is viable at short times when the polymer is 'glassy' (