Porosity analysis

Porosity analysis quantifies the proportion of void space within a material relative to its total volume. This structural parameter is crucial for understanding a material's behavior in response to phenomena such as absorption, permeability, mechanical strength, thermal and acoustic insulation, and gas and liquid exchange. This analysis is essential in the fields of construction materials, ceramics, polymers, packaging, technical foams, filter membranes, and functional materials.

Industrial challenges of porosity

Porosity directly influences a material's performance. High porosity can improve adsorption, filtration, or insulation capabilities, while excessive porosity can weaken the structure and reduce mechanical strength. In polymers and foams, it impacts weight, compressibility, and sound absorption. In packaging, it determines permeability and the protection of the contents. In technical or ceramic materials, it helps characterize density, microstructure, and thermal performance.

Porosity analysis is therefore crucial for the development of new materials, the optimization of processes, the qualification of industrial batches and the verification of compliance with technical or regulatory requirements.

Analytical methods: BET, mercury intrusion and other techniques

Several methods allow for the precise characterization of porosity based on pore size and the type of material studied.

The BET (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller) method relies on nitrogen adsorption-desorption and allows for the determination of the specific surface area and distribution of small pores. Mercury porosimetry involves injecting mercury into the pores under pressure, providing a highly accurate analysis of mesoscopic and macroscopic pores, as well as the connectivity of the pore network.

Other techniques can be used as needed:
• helium pycnometry to determine total porosity and actual density
• 3D microtomography (µCT) to visualize the internal structure and pore distribution
• gravimetric or fluidic methods for simpler or more fragile materials

By combining these approaches, it is possible to characterize open, closed, accessible, interconnected pores and to obtain a complete view of the internal microstructure of the material.

Matrices analyzed and industrial applications

This analysis applies to many matrices: porous ceramics, polymer foams, insulating materials, pharmaceutical or nutritional tablets, membranes, activated carbons, thermal insulators, concretes, plant substrates, composite materials, technical packaging or even catalyst supports.

It is used to:
• optimize filtration or adsorption
• evaluate durability and mechanical resistance
• analyze the impact of a process (sintering, extrusion, expansion, drying)
• compare different batches or suppliers
• develop materials with specific functional properties (insulation, lightness, diffusion, etc.)

YesWeLab Support

YesWeLab collaborates with a network of laboratories specializing in materials characterization, mechanical testing, and physicochemical analysis. Most are certified or accredited according to ISO 17025 and COFRAC standards, guaranteeing reliable, reproducible results that comply with industry standards. Our digital platform allows you to centralize your requests, track the progress of your samples, and easily access your results. Our scientific team supports you in selecting the appropriate methods, interpreting the data, and optimizing your materials to meet your specific needs.

Since 2020, YesWeLab has been supporting manufacturers, design offices, materials manufacturers, filtration companies and plastics industry players in their porosity characterization projects.

Other analyses from the YesWeLab catalogue

• Specific surface area analysis (BET)
• Density and pore volume analysis
• SEM observation and morphological analysis
• Mechanical testing of materials