The objective of this thesis is to develop a new experimental method to characterize the diffusion of water in polymer resins, based on the evolution in the volume of water droplets as a function of time. A finite element model is established to model the mass transport of water droplet through evaporation and diffusion processes. Diffusivity of water into polymer resins is then extracted by matching the volume variation of the simulated water droplet to the experimental results. Capability of this method is demonstrated by determining the diffusivity of water into void-free epoxy and epoxy samples with voids. Diffusion coefficient value obtained from this method agrees with data from conventional water immersion method. The significantly small scale of the water droplet (less than 10 microliter) allows rapid characterization of diffusivity in hours instead of months as typically required by the conventional immersion method. The method developed here provides a useful tool for rapid and effective characterization of diffusivity of water in polymer substrates and can be extended to other substances as well. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2019. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第22440号 / 工博第4701号 / 新制||工||1734(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院工学研究科原子核工学専攻 / (主査)教授 横峯 健彦, 教授 佐々木 隆之, 教授 鈴木 基史 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DFAM