Abstract: The water adsorption process by dough films at 20 and 40 ℃ was measured using a dynamic vapor sorption system under nine relative humidity (RH) levels. Water diffusivity was expressed as a function of water content and temperature according to the Vrentas & Duda free volume theory. The parameters of the free volume model were obtained by inversion of water content as a function of time. The results showed that the water diffusion coefficient determined based on the free volume theory could well simulate the water adsorption process by dough films at most water contents tested, but the predicted values were significantly lower than the actual ones at low water contents. Therefore, the Vrentas & Duda was improved by adding a free volume term as a function of water content. As the water content increased, the water diffusion coefficient slightly decreased initially, then increased, and finally increased rapidly. Finally, the mechanism of water diffusion at low water contents was discussed from the perspectives of β-transition and free volume changes.

Key words: diffusion; free volume theory; adsorption; glass transition; β-transition; dough