Sorption of water by poly(vinyl alcohol)

The isotherms of water sorption by poly(vinyl alcohol) have been obtained by static sorption methods in a wide range of vapor activities. The properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) at various values of relative humidity have been studied by DSC, X-ray diffraction analysis, and mechanical testing. It has been shown that the correct thermodynamic analysis of sorption isotherms for sorbents with complex organization requires knowledge of their structural features. A method of allowing for the effect of osmotic pressure on the polymer sorption capacity is proposed. The pair interaction parameters estimated in this study are compared with the published data.