Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

2019

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Du, Sarah E.

Abstract

The objective of this thesis is to develop a new experimental method to characterize the diffusion of water in polymer resins, based on the evolution in the volume of water droplets as a function of time. A finite element model is established to model the mass transport of water droplet through evaporation and diffusion processes. Diffusivity of water into polymer resins is then extracted by matching the volume variation of the simulated water droplet to the experimental results. Capability of this method is demonstrated by determining the diffusivity of water into void-free epoxy and epoxy samples with voids. Diffusion coefficient value obtained from this method agrees with data from conventional water immersion method. The significantly small scale of the water droplet (less than 10 microliter) allows rapid characterization of diffusivity in hours instead of months as typically required by the conventional immersion method. The method developed here provides a useful tool for rapid and effective characterization of diffusivity of water in polymer substrates and can be extended to other substances as well.

Extent

71 p.

Comments

Includes bibliography.|Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2019.|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Includes bibliography.

Identifier

FA00013270

Format

pdf

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