Effect of a uniaxial load on moisture absorption by an epoxy binder

The above-developed method of studying the effect of uniaxial compressive and tensile loads on moisture absorption in polymers was tested on epoxy binder EDT-10. It was established experimentally for this material that tensile stresses up to 50 MPa significantly increase the equilibrium moisture content (up to 20% of the initial value). There is a corresponding increase in the rate of moisture absorption during the initial stage of the sorption process - up to 80% of the initial value. No changes in the diffusion coefficient were seen in this case. The application of compressive stresses of up to 40 MPa also had no effect on the kinetics of moisture absorption.