Porous Materials, Inc.

Glossary of Terms

This is a small glossary of terms used here on our website. This is here to give you a better understanding of different terms used to describe our products and what they do.


Adsorption
a process that occurs when a gas or liquid solute accumulates on the surface of a solid or, more rarely, a liquid (adsorbent), forming a molecular or atomic film (the adsorbate). It is different from absorption, in which a substance diffuses into a liquid or solid to form a solution. The term sorption encompasses both processes, while desorption is the reverse process.
Chemisorption
a type of adsorption whereby a molecule adheres to a surface through the formation of a chemical bond
Density
mass per unit volume
Diameter
the width of a circular or cylindrical object
Liquid Extrusion
The forcing of liquid out of a sample
Liquid Intrusion
The forcing of liquid into a sample
Mean
Occupying a middle or intermediate position between two extremes
Nonwovens
Nonwoven textiles are those which are neither woven nor knit, for example felt.
Permeability
a measure of the ability of a material to transmit fluids; the rate of flow of a liquid or gas through a porous material
Pore
a minute opening or orifice, as in the skin or a leaf, for perspiration, absorption, etc.
Pore Size
the size of the opening in the sample
Pore Volume
the amount of space, measured in cubic units, that an object or substance occupies
Porosimetry
an analytical technique used to determine various quantifiable aspects of a material's porous nature, such as pore diameter, total pore volume, surface area, and bulk and absolute densities.
Porosity
a measure of the void spaces in a material, and is measured as a fraction, between 0-1, or as a percentage between 0-100%.
Surface Area
the summation of the areas of the exposed sides of an object
Viscosity
the property of a fluid that resists the force tending to cause the fluid to flow; a resistance to flow

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