Comparison of Two Methods for Measuring the Temperature Dependence of H2 Permeation Parameters in Nitrile Butadiene Rubber Polymer Composites Blended with Fillers: The Volumetric Analysis Method and the Differential Pressure Method

Abstract

Hydrogen uptake/diffusivity in nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) blended with carbon black (CB) and silica fillers was measured with a volumetric analysis method in the 258–323 K temperature range. The temperature-dependent H2 diffusivity was obtained by assuming constant solubility with temperature variations. The logarithmic diffusivity decreased linearly with increasing reciprocal temperature. The diffusion activation energies were calculated with the Arrhenius equation. The activation energies for NBR blended with high-abrasion furnace CB and silica fillers increased linearly with increasing filler content. For NBR blended with medium thermal CB filler, the activation energy decreased with increasing filler content. The activation energy filler dependency is similar to the glass transition temperature filler dependency, as determined with dynamic mechanical analysis. Additionally, the activation energy was compared with that obtained by the differential pressure method through permeability temperature dependence. The same activation energy between diffusion and permeation in the range of 33–39 kJ/mol was obtained, supporting the temperature-independent H2 solubility and H2 physisorption in polymer composites.