- Using a quadrupole mass spectrometer system the permeation of D2, He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe through EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene rubber), Viton (fluoro rubber) and Silicone-rubber was measured as a function of temperature. The results for O-ring samples were compared with those for slab geometry. From the measured permeation functions the diffusion coefficients, the permeation coefficients and the solubilities of the gases in the elastomer materials were evaluated using a nonlinear fitting algorithm. The variations of these data with temperature yield the activation energies for diffusion and permeation as well as the heat of solution. The results confirm that the transmission of noble gases and of deuterium through elastomer materials is merely a physical process because the activation energies are far below common values for processes involving chemical reactions. The solubilities correlate well with the boiling temperatures of the gases and with the well depth of the Lennard-JonesUsing a quadrupole mass spectrometer system the permeation of D2, He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe through EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene rubber), Viton (fluoro rubber) and Silicone-rubber was measured as a function of temperature. The results for O-ring samples were compared with those for slab geometry. From the measured permeation functions the diffusion coefficients, the permeation coefficients and the solubilities of the gases in the elastomer materials were evaluated using a nonlinear fitting algorithm. The variations of these data with temperature yield the activation energies for diffusion and permeation as well as the heat of solution. The results confirm that the transmission of noble gases and of deuterium through elastomer materials is merely a physical process because the activation energies are far below common values for processes involving chemical reactions. The solubilities correlate well with the boiling temperatures of the gases and with the well depth of the Lennard-Jones interaction potential between the gas atoms. The diffusion coefficients monotonically decrease and the activation energies monotonically increase with increasing molecular diameter of the gases.…