Porengeometrie

Porengeometrie, or pore geometry, is the study of the geometrical properties and spatial arrangement of pore spaces within a solid material. It focuses on how pores are formed, their shapes and sizes, how they connect to form a network, and how this geometry influences transport, storage, and reaction processes inside the material.

Key concepts include porosity (the fraction of void space), pore size distribution, pore shape and throat size, connectivity, tortuosity (the winding path through the pore network), and specific surface area. Together, these metrics describe how fluids, gases, or ions move through a material and how reactions may occur at surfaces. The geometry often exhibits heterogeneity across scales, from nanometer to millimeter, which can complicate analysis and modeling.

Characterization and modeling approaches combine experiments and computation. Experimental methods include imaging techniques such as micro-computed tomography and electron microscopy for three-dimensional or high-resolution views, as well as porosimetry and gas adsorption methods to infer size distributions. Computational approaches include pore-network modeling, percolation theory, and simulations based on lattice-Boltzmann or finite-element methods, which use a digital representation of the pore space to predict transport properties like permeability and diffusivity.

Applications of porengeometrie span multiple disciplines. In geology and petrology, it informs reservoir quality and groundwater flow. In civil engineering, it influences the durability of cement-based materials. In energy storage and catalysis, pore geometry governs reaction rates, selectivity, and efficiency. Understanding pore geometry aids in material design, optimization, and the interpretation of transport phenomena in porous media.