Kinetic Studies of the Wool-Water System

Abstract

Studies have been made of the sorption of water by wool fibers, after changes of the external water vapor pressure, by following the weight changes of the fibers. The sorption kinetics are dependent on the size of the concentration change and the initial regain of the wool. For low regains, 0-2.5%, sorption is Fickian with a concentration- dependent diffusion coefficient. At 35° C. and zero regain the diffusion coefficient D₀ = 1.0 × 10^-10 cm.²/sec. and the activation energy of diffusion is > 11 kcal./mole. For concentrations above 2.5% regain, a portion of the water vapor uptake on absorption occurs by a non-Fickian mechanism; the relative contributions of the Fickian and nbn- Fickian mechanisms to the total uptake vary with the initial regain.