The Use of Chemical Potential to Describe Water Transfer in Complex Media with Strong Solid–Liquid Bonding

We consider a complex medium composed of finely intertwined micro-skeletons and micro-compartments where water transfer can occur. In these media, at low moisture content, water pressure measurement is not longer possible. Mass transfer is then expressed in terms of chemical potential gradient. The assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium, resulting in the uniformity of water chemical potential in all microstructures, is essential to define a sorption isotherm reflecting the relationship between water activity and average moisture content. In this case, it is also possible to describe water transfer by using the chemical potential gradient. Radial water transfer in wood is examined using a destructive method for calculating water flux and chemical potential gradient at the same position and at the same time. We deduce the variation of transport coefficient as a function of moisture content.