USE OF MERCURY INTRUSION DATA, COMBINED WITH NITROGEN ADSORPTION MEASUREMENTS, AS A PROBE OF PORE NETWORK CONNECTIVITY

The coordination number of the pore network of a mesoporous solid can be determined from its nitrogen adsorption and desorption isotherms, using an analysis method based on percolation theory. However, measurement of these isotherms is time-consuming and problematical very close to the bulk condensation pressure of nitrogen. In this paper, we demonstrate that mercury intrusion and nitrogen desorption share the same mechanism so that the mercury intrusion curve can be used in place of the nitrogen desorption isotherm in the connectivity analysis.