Water vapour uptake is one of the features that affecta the thermo-mechanical response of many bio-based polymers in applications such as film and membranes. Therefore they need to be fully understood and controlled, especially when the final products have to maintain their performance in highly humid environments.In this study, model surfaces of two different water-soluble xylan derivatives were studied, before and after UV-radical crosslinking. Water vapour uptake of these films was monitored using Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) equipped with humidity module. Clear changes in the water uptake ability were observed before and after the chemical modification. Furthermore, the morphology of the surfaces was studied using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and changes on their wettability were investigated by Contact Angle Measurements (CAM).

Model surface study on water vapour uptake behavior of xylan derivatives

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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