Capillary condensation in disordered porous materials: Hysteresis versus equilibrium behavior

Authors

E Kierlik, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI)
PA Monson, University of Massachusetts Amherst
ML Rosinberg, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI)
L Sarkisov, University of Massachusetts Amherst
G Tarjus, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI)

Publication Date

2001

Journal or Book Title

Physical Review Letters

Abstract

We study the interplay between hysteresis and equilibrium behavior in capillary condensation of fluids in mesoporous disordered materials via a mean-field density functional theory of a disordered lattice-gas model. The approach reproduces all major features observed experimentally. We show that the simple van der Waals picture of metastability fails due to the appearance of a complex free-energy landscape with a large number of metastable states. In particular, hysteresis can occur both with and without an underlying equilibrium transition, and thermodynamic consistency is not satisfied along the hysteresis loop.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.87.055701

Volume

87

Issue

5

Recommended Citation

Kierlik, E; Monson, PA; Rosinberg, ML; Sarkisov, L; and Tarjus, G, "Capillary condensation in disordered porous materials: Hysteresis versus equilibrium behavior" (2001). Physical Review Letters. 431.
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.87.055701