Perability

Perability is a property describing the ease with which an entity—such as liquids, gases, ions, vapors, or even information and social influence—can pass through a medium, boundary, or interface under specified conditions. It generalizes the concept of permeability by encompassing a broader set of transport phenomena, including advection, diffusion, and active transport.

The term is a neologism used in theoretical discussions and some applied contexts to emphasize the combined aspects of flux and selectivity. It is not universally standardized and is often defined contextually within a discipline. In practice, perability is described in relation to a transport coefficient that captures how readily a given driving force (pressure, concentration gradient, chemical potential, or analogous stimuli) produces a flux across a boundary.

Measurement of perability typically involves experiments that relate flux to the chosen driving force. In materials science and geology, methods resemble permeation and diffusion tests, tracer experiments, and membrane-based measurements to extract a transport coefficient. In other domains, perability may be assessed through network propagation models, uptake studies, or empirical observation of how quickly a signal, contaminant, or influence traverses a barrier or interface. The exact definition and units of perability are often domain-specific and may differ from those used for conventional permeability.

Applications of perability span membrane science, filtration, soil and rock hydrology, packaging, textiles, electronics, and any field concerned with the passage of substances or information through barriers. It is commonly considered alongside diffusivity, selectivity, and overall transport properties.

See also: permeability, diffusivity, selectivity, transport properties.