Modeling the kinetics of water transport and hydroexpansion in a lignocellulose-reinforced bacterial copolyester

The governing kinetic behavior of water transport in a biopolymeric composite material derived from poly(β-hydroxybutyrate)-co-poly(β-hydroxyvalerate) and lignocellulosic wood flour were investigated along with the influence of temperature, wood flour content, and chemical modification (silane, maleic anhydride) on polymer and composite diffusivity. The water absorption process in both untreated and treated composites was found to follow the kinetics of Fickian diffusion theory. Diffusion coefficients for neat polymer and composite samples were experimentally determined, and the thermodynamics of diffusive water transport were observed to exhibit Arrhenius rate-law behavior. A model for predicting equilibrium moisture content in wood-polymer composites is presented and substantiated by obtained results and cited experimental data. Isodiffusion plots are presented to evaluate the effectiveness of chemical modifications, which were found to reduce the rates of water uptake. Both in- and out-of-plane dimensional changes were monitored during the absorption process, permitting the determination of moisture-dependent hydroexpansion coefficients.