Hygroscopicity
Assessing risks in insulation retrofits using hygrothermal software tools, Heat and moisture transport in internally insulated stone walls, by Joseph Little, Calina Ferraro and Beñat Arregi, published by Historic Environment Scotland in 2015, defines hygroscopicity or a hygroscopic material as: ‘The ability of a material to take in moisture from the surrounding environment by either absorption or adsorption, and to hold it within its molecular structure. As moisture accumulates, the physical properties of a material change (for example, materials may swell or become sticky), but are returned to their original state when the moisture is released.’
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