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Impact of Two-Dimensional Particle Size Distribution on Estimation of Water Vapor Diffusivity in Micrometric Size
Valentin Thoury-Monbrun1, Hélène Angellier-Coussy2, Valérie Guillard3
1JRU IATE 1208-CIRAD/INRA/Montpellier Supagro/University of Montpellier, 2 Place Pierre Viala, Bat 31, F-34060 Montpellier, France. valentin@thoury.fr.
Abstract:
This work aims at assessing the impact of two-dimensional particle size distribution (2D-PSD) on the identification of water vapor diffusivity in micrometric size cellulose particles displaying a size aspect ratio lower than 2 and a cylindrical shape. First, different methodologies to obtain the two-dimensional (2D) particle size distribution (diameter versus length) were compared, based on image analysis. Then, experimental sorption kinetics were obtained by using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) coupled with a water vapor adsorption system. Diffusivity values were estimated when considering either the 2D-PSD or global descriptors, such as the mean or median diameter and length of particles. Results revealed that the use of an analytical approach when considering the 2D mean-PSD or the median-PSD was the most accurate way to get diffusivity values at the scale of particles in a polydisperse sample of cellulose particles. Following this approach, a water vapor apparent diffusivity of 3.1 × 10-12 ± 2.3 × 10-12 m²·s-1 was found for the considered cellulose sample. Neglecting PSD in diffusivity estimation led to an underestimation of a factor of 2. This procedure could be extended for all the polydisperse samples in order to have an accurate estimation of water vapor diffusivity at the scale of single particles.
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