Diffusion and transport of toluene through nano-particles and conventional metal oxide filled (EPDM)

The sorption and diffusion of toluene through various ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer (EPDM) rubber containing metal oxide nanoparticles (nMO), were investigated comparing to those of EPDM with conventional metal oxide (cMO), loading of 10 wt% Metal Oxide, such as Copper Oxide (CuO), Iron Oxide (Fe2O3), Zinc Oxide (ZnO) and Nikel Oxide (NiO) at 20, 40 and 60 o C has been studied by conventional weight-gain experiments. The effect of varying nano and conventional metal oxides filled butadiene rubber (EPDM) on the sorption, diffusion and permeation coefficients were determined. the sorption data were used to estimate the activation energies of diffusion and permeation, parameters which were found to show increase in the nano metal oxide filled (EPDM), (Fe2O3(n))/EPDM, (ZnO(n))/EPDM, (NiO(n))/EPDM and (CuO(n))/EPDM, and decrease in the conventional metal oxide filled (EPDM), (ZnO(c))/EPDM, (NiO(c))/EPDM and (CuO(c))/EPDM. The transport of toluene through metal oxide filled (EPDM) was found to be non-Fickian at the three temperatures studies, and may be described as anomalous. The enthalpy of sorption of toluene obtained is positive and suggests a Hennery's type sorpation.