An Automated Dynamic Water Vapor Permeation Test Method

Abstract : This report describes an automated apparatus developed to measure the transport of water vapor through materials under a variety of conditions. The apparatus is more convenient to use than the traditional test methods for textiles and clothing materials, and allows one to use a wider variety of test conditions to investigate the concentration-dependent and nonlinear transport behavior of many of the semipermeable membrane laminates which are now available. The dynamic moisture permeation cell (DMPC) has been automated to permit multiple setpoint testing under computer control, and to facilitate investigation of transient phenomena. Results generated with the DMPC are in agreement with and of comparable accuracy to those from the ISO 11092 (sweating guarded hot plate) method of measuring water vapor permeability.