Parallel-plates enthalpy exchangers are one of the most commonly encountered energy recovery devices that are used to simultaneously transfer both sensible heat and moisture between fresh air and exhaust ventilation air. For such equipments, the water vapor sorption properties of the plate materials have tremendous impacts on system performance. In this investigation. three different materials, namely, common paper, CA (cellulose acetate) membrane and a modified CA membrane) are selected as the plate materials for three enthalpy exchangers. Sorption curves and contact angles of these three materials are measured to reflect their hydrophilicity. The steady-state sensible and latent effectiveness of the three exchangers are tested in a special test rig, and the test results are compared with the model predictions. A heat and moisture transfer model for the enthalpy exchangers is proposed. The effects of the varying operating conditions like air flow rates, temperature, and humidity on the sensible and latent effectiveness are evaluated. Both the numerical and experimental results indicate that the moisture resistance through plates is co-determined by thickness, sorption slope, and sorption potential. Moisture diffusivity in various materials is in the same order. So when the plate thickness is fixed, the higher the sorption slopes are, the higher the latent performance is. Of the three exchangers, the exchanger with the modified CA membrane material has the highest performance due to small thickness, steep sorption slope, and large sorption potentials. The paper exchanger has a latent effectiveness of 0.4, while the membranes have latent effectiveness of greater than 0.7. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.