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The dynamic water vapour sorption behaviour of natural fibres and kinetic analysis using the parallel exponential kinetics model

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Abstract

Hygroscopic behaviour is an inherent characteristic of natural fibres which can influence their applications as textile fabrics and composite reinforcements. In this study, the water vapour sorption kinetic properties of cotton, filter paper, flax, hemp, jute, and sisal fibres were determined using a dynamic vapour sorption apparatus and the results were analyzed by use of a parallel exponential kinetics (PEK) model. With all of the fibres tested, the magnitude of the sorption hysteresis observed varied, but it was always greatest at the higher end of the hygroscopic range. Flax and sisal fibres displayed the lowest and highest total hysteresis, respectively. The PEK model, which is comprised of fast and slow sorption components, exhibited hysteresis in terms of mass for both processes between the adsorption and desorption isotherm. The hysteresis derived from the slow sorption process was less than from the fast process for all tested fibres. The fast processes for cotton and filter paper dominated the isotherm process; however, the hemp and sisal fibres displayed a dominant slow process in the isotherm run. The characteristic time for the fast sorption process did not vary between adsorption and desorption, except at the top end of the hygroscopic range. The characteristic time for the slow process was invariably larger for the desorption process. The physical interpretation of the PEK model is discussed.

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Acknowledgements

The support of the Scottish Funding Council for the Joint Research Institute on Civil and Environmental Engineering under the auspices of the Edinburgh Research Partnership is acknowledged. Support from the Carnegie Trust and the Royal Society for financial support for visits of Callum Hill to South Africa is gratefully acknowledged. The support from Chinese National Natural Science Funds (Project No. 30771680) is also appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, 26 Hexing Road, Harbin, 150040, People’s Republic of China

    Yanjun Xie

  2. Forest Products Research Institute, Joint Research Institute for Civil and Environmental Engineering, Edinburgh Napier University, 10 Colinton Road, Edinburgh, EH10 5DT, UK

    Callum A. S. Hill & Zaihan Jalaludin

  3. JCH Industrial Ecology Ltd, Llandegfan, Anglesey, UK

    Callum A. S. Hill

  4. The BioComposites Centre, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UN, UK

    Simon F. Curling

  5. CSIR Materials Science and Manufacturing, Nonwovens and Composites Group, Polymers and Composites Competence Area, P.O. Box 1124, Port Elizabeth, 6000, South Africa

    Rajesh D. Anandjiwala

  6. Faculty of Science, Department of Textile Science, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, 6031, South Africa

    Rajesh D. Anandjiwala

  7. Renuables, Llanllechid, Gwynedd, UK

    Andrew J. Norton

  8. Plant Fibre Technology Ltd, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK

    Gary Newman

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  1. Yanjun Xie
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  2. Callum A. S. Hill
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Correspondence to Callum A. S. Hill.

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Xie, Y., Hill, C.A.S., Jalaludin, Z. et al. The dynamic water vapour sorption behaviour of natural fibres and kinetic analysis using the parallel exponential kinetics model. J Mater Sci 46, 479–489 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-010-4935-0

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