A mathematical model for a dissolving polymer

In certain polymer‐penetrant systems, nonlinear viscoelastic effects dominate those of Fickian diffusion. This behavior is often embodied in a memory integral incorporating nonlocal time effects into the dynamics; this integral can be derived from an augmented chemical potential. The mathematical framework presented is a moving boundary‐value problem. The boundary separates the polymer into two distinct states: glassy and rubbery, where different physical processes dominate. The moving boundary condition that results is not solvable by similarity solutions, but can be solved by perturbation and integral equation techniques. Asymptotic solutions are obtained where sharp fronts move with constant speed. The resultant profiles are quite similar to experimental results in a dissolving polymer. It is then demonstrated that such a model has a limit on the allowable front speed and a self‐regulating mass uptake.