Influence of concentration on the activation energy for diffusion in polymer‐solvent systems

Abstract

Abstract The self‐diffusion of benzene, toluene, and ethylbenzene in polystyrene have been analyzed using the Vrentas/Duda free‐volume diffusion model. Diffusion coefficient predictions suggest an exponential concentration dependence of the activation energy required to overcome attractive forces, E . Without the use of any diffusion data approximating E as zero over the entire concentration range yields self‐diffusion coefficient predictions which are in good agreement with experimental data. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.