Outgassing of Oxygen from Polycarbonate

A manometric permeation apparatus was used to study the "outgassing" or desorption of oxygen from polycarbonate (PC). A PC film was placed in the apparatus. Both sides were exposed to oxygen until the film was saturated. To simulate inert gas purging of a closed container or "microenvironment", oxygen was pumped from one side of the apparatus to reduce the concentration on that side to nearly zero. Oxygen concentrations on the freshly purged side rose quickly at first but then slowed. Eventually, a steady state was established and oxygen concentrations increased linearly with time. Mass-transport coefficients (permeation, diffusion, and solubility coefficients) were also estimated and then used to successfully predict the postpurge rise of the oxygen concentration.