Inventors:
Mufit Akinc - Ames IA
Yuksel Sarikaya - Bahcelievler Ankara, TR
International Classification:
G01N 1508
G01N 2556
Abstract:
A thermoporosimeter for accurately and inexpensively determining porosity characteristics of material. The material is saturated with a liquid and then placed within an enclosed area and in communication with a mass measuring unit. A furnace with a furnace control provides increasing heat to the material within the enclosed area. As the liquid saturated in the pores of the material evaporates, the mass of the material changes and is recorded by the mass measuring unit. The mass measuring unit communicates the values for mass change through an interface to a microcomputer. A temperature sensor located within the enclosed area also provides temperature values to the computer through an interface. By measuring the change in mass as a function of temperature, it is possible to determine porosity characteristics of the material, which include but are not limited to, pore size, pore volume, and pore size distribution of the material.