Diffusion and Sorption of Aqueous Electrolyte Solutions in Polymers

The diffusion and solubility of electrolytes in polymers of different types (hydrophobic, hydrophilic, and moderately swelling) are examined. Diffusional transport in such systems is characterised by a number of features: dissociation, ion hydration, the formation of water clusters, and interaction with the functional groups of the polymer. The concentration dependence of the diffusion coefficients is analysed taking into account these effects and also the influence of the volume fraction of the polymer on the diffusion parameters. The mechanism of the distribution of the electrolyte in the hydrophobic and hydrophilic matrices is examined; it is shown that in the latter case account must be taken of the electrostatic factor, which influences the solubility of ions in polymers with ionogenic groups.
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