Capillary condensation of adsorbates in porous materials

Hysteresis in capillary condensation is important for the fundamental study and application of porous materials, and yet experiments on porous materials are sometimes difficult to interpret because of the many interactions and complex solid structures involved in the condensation and evaporation processes. Here we make an overview of the significant progress in understanding capillary condensation and hysteresis phenomena in mesopores that have followed from experiment and simulation applied to highly ordered mesoporous materials such as MCM-41 and SBA-15 over the last few decades.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► Advances of the modern tools to analyse capillary condensation and evaporation. ► Molecular simulation is a useful in describing condensation and evaporation. ► Better understanding of cavitation and pore blocking.