The water vapor sorption behavior of a range of natural fibers (jute, flax, coir, cotton, hemp, Sitka spruce) has been studied. The data were analyzed using the Hailwood Horrobin model for isotherm fitting and determination of monolayer moisture content. The Hailwood Horrobin model was found to provide good fits to the experimental data. The extent of hysteresis exhibited between the adsorption and desorption isotherms was dependent on fiber type studied and was larger with high lignin compared with low lignin content fibers. The area bounded by the hysteresis loop decreased as the isotherms were performed at progressively higher temperatures. This behavior is consistent with sorption interactions occurring with a glassy solid below the glass transition

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The water vapour sorption behaviour of Sitka spruce was analysed based on the parallel exponential kinetics (PEK) model. The PEK model deconvolutes the sorption kinetics curve into two exponential kinetics processes (fast and slow) which have characteristic times and moisture contents associated with them. The sorption kinetics was examined at different temperatures enabling the determination of activation energies for the sorption kinetic processes throughout the hygroscopic range (from 5% to 95% relative humidities). The physical interpretation of the PEK model is also discussed.

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