Measuring temperature-dependent water vapor and gas permeation through high barrier films

A new test device for temperature-dependent permeation measurement, existing of a mass spectrometer and sample holders inside a climatic chamber was developed. The front face of a sample is loaded with the atmosphere in the cabinet or a test gas mixture, respectively. The permeated species are accumulated in a cell behind the sample. The increasing partial pressures of the permeants are measured by the mass spectrometer and than transferred into a transmission rate. The time-lag technique enables the determination of the diffusion coefficient. Results are given for atmospheric components as O(2), N(2), and water vapor permeated through different barrier films and laminates at temperatures from 23 to 80 degrees C. The limits of the detection of the transmission rates are in the range of 10(-6) g/m(2) d.