SORPTION OF WATER BY NYLON-66 AND KEVLAR-29 - EQUILIBRIA AND KINETICS

The sorption of water by nylon 66 and Kevlar 29 fabrics was studied over a range of 20-98% relative humidities at 27-degrees-C. Equilibrium and rate relationships were developed from the data in this study and from nylon 66 and nylon 6 data of other studies involving fiber and film. The ratio of sorbed moisture to amide concentration is, on average and at high relative humidities, one water molecule per amide unit. The nylon equilibrium data show that there exist threshold relative humidities above and below which sorption properties differ. One threshold is correlated with the glass transition. Another is identified in the glassy state of nylon 6 in which moisture is tightly bound. The equilibrium constant values are highest and the moisture is most tightly bound at very low humidities, and the values are lowest in the plastic region at high humidities. NMR, DSC, and mechanical property data from others are correlated with the sorption discontinuities observed in this study. Rate data indicate that sorption is a diffusion-controlled process.