Effects of preparation conditions on the morphology and gas permeation properties of polyethylene (PE) and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) films

In this study, the effect of film preparation conditions on the gas permeation properties of polyethylene (PE) and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) films (containing 18 and 28 wt% vinyl acetate) was investigated. Film blowing and phase inversion methods were applied in the production of PE and EVA films, respectively. The permeation of pure oxygen and carbon dioxide gases was measured at room temperature. The results indicated that with the increase of PE film thickness, permeability and solubility of O2 and CO2 in these films decreased; but the diffusivities of gases through PE films increased. In addition, in the case of EVA copolymers, by increasing the content of vinyl acetate, the permeability of CO2 increased. The rate of increase in CO2 permeability was different for samples having different preparation conditions. For example, the samples prepared using chloroform as the solvent instead of THF, showed lower CO2 permeability. Also, the morphological studying of film structure indicated that the higher CO2 permeability for the samples made from THF solvent is due to the existing of higher porosity in the under layer polymer area. Also scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs showed that with the usage of phase inversion method, there will be a thin dense layer near to the glass substrate.