PERMEATION OF CHLOROMETHANES IN COPOLYMERS OF CHLOROPRENE WITH METHYL-METHACRYLATE AND METHACRYLIC-ACID

Permeation and sorption of the series of chloromethanes CH4, CH3Cl, CH2Cl2, CHCl3 and CCl4 were studied in poly (chloroprene) and its copolymers with methyl methacrylate and methacrylic acid. The variation of the permeability coefficients in the chloromethane series showed that thermodynamic factors govern the permeation process in the studied elastomeric films. By means of inverse gas chromatography it was found that hydrogen bonding is responsible for the increased solubility coefficients of CH2Cl2 and CHCl3 in copolymers containing ester and acid side chain groups. The selectivity of separation of chloromethane vapors from air is adequate for considering these copolymers as prototype materials for making ultrathin vapor-separating membranes.