An overview of the transport of liquid molecules through structured polymer films, barriers and composites – Experiments correlated to structure-based simulations
Review article, 2018

Films engineered to control the transport of liquids are widely used through society. Examples include barriers in packaging, wound care products, and controlled release coatings in pharmaceutics. When observed at the macroscopic scale such films commonly appear homogeneous, however, a closer look reveals a complex nano- and microstructure that together with the chemical properties of the different domains control the transport properties. In this review we compare and discuss macroscopic transport properties, measured using the straightforward, yet highly powerful technique “modified Ussing chambers”, also denoted side-by-side diffusion cells, for a wide range of structured polymer films and composites. We also discuss and compare the macroscopic observations and conclusions on materials properties with that of lattice Boltzmann simulations of transport properties based on underlying material structure and chemistry. The survey of the field: (i) highlights the use and power of modified Ussing Chambers for determining liquid transport properties of polymer films, (ii) demonstrates the predictability in both directions between macroscopic observations of transport using modified Ussing chambers and structure-based simulations, and (iii) provides experimental and theoretical insights regarding the transport-determining properties of structured polymer films and composites.

Author

Sofie Gårdebjer

SuMo Biomaterials

Lund University

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

Mikael Larsson

University of South Australia

University College London (UCL)

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

SuMo Biomaterials

Tobias Gebäck

Chalmers, Mathematical Sciences, Applied Mathematics and Statistics

SuMo Biomaterials

M. Skepo

SuMo Biomaterials

Lund University

Anette Larsson

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry

SuMo Biomaterials

Advances in Colloid and Interface Science

0001-8686 (ISSN)

Vol. 256 48-64

Subject Categories

Polymer Chemistry

Polymer Technologies

Textile, Rubber and Polymeric Materials

DOI

10.1016/j.cis.2018.05.004

More information

Latest update

8/18/2020