poresvoids

Poresvoids is a term used in materials science to describe a class of internal void spaces that blend features of traditional pores with larger cavities. The word combines pores and voids to indicate networks that span multiple length scales. It is not universally standardized and appears mainly in discussions of hierarchical porosity.

Typical poresvoids exhibit multi-scale size distributions, from a few nanometers to tens of micrometers, and form connected or semi-connected networks. Morphology is often irregular, with tortuous pathways; the balance between open and closed regions influences porosity and transport properties.

Formation and occurrence: Poresvoids can develop during foaming, phase separation, or gas evolution in polymers; during sintering and mineral diagenesis in ceramics and rocks; and in additive manufacturing and biological tissues where growth or dissolution creates complex void architectures.

Measurement and analysis rely on imaging and porosity techniques such as X-ray micro-computed tomography, focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy, mercury intrusion porosimetry, and gas adsorption. Pore-network models and fractal analysis help quantify connectivity, tortuosity, and percolation thresholds.

Significance and applications: The presence of poresvoids affects transport, mechanical strength, and thermal performance. Understanding such networks informs design of catalysts, energy storage materials, filtration media, and tissue engineering scaffolds that require multi-scale porosity.

Status: As a relatively new and informal term, poresvoids lacks a single definition. Researchers often describe multi-scale porosity with established terminology, using 'poresvoids' to emphasize integrated pore-void connectivity across scales.