Mercury Intrusion Porosimeter

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Delivery time: 1 ~ 2 weeks

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Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry (MIP) is a powerful technique used to determine the pore size distribution, pore volume, and porosity of solid materials. The high-performance fully automatic MIP system offers precise and reproducible measurements by automatically controlling pressure, mercury filling, intrusion, and data acquisition.

Introduction

Fully automated operation from vacuum to high pressure
Wide pore diameter range (typically 3 nm to 1000 µm)
High-resolution pressure control for detailed pore size analysis
Rapid analysis with high repeatability and low user intervention
Advanced data analysis for pore size distribution, cumulative volume, and surface area

Principle

Mercury is a non-wetting liquid to most solids and does not spontaneously enter pores. By applying pressure, mercury is forced into the pores. The pressure required is inversely related to the pore diameter via the Washburn equation: D = -4γ cosθ / P Where:

D: Pore diameter
γ: Surface tension of mercury
θ: Contact angle
P: Applied pressure
By measuring the volume of mercury intruded at different pressures, a detailed pore size distribution can be obtained.

Test Procedure

Sample preparation: Drying and placement into the penetrometer

Depending on the system, down to ~3–4 nm using high-pressure intrusion.

Yes, powders can be compacted in the penetrometer, but proper packing is essential.

No. Only open, connected pores accessible to mercury are measured.

No. The high pressures and mercury contamination make recovery impractical.

When operated in a sealed and certified instrument with proper ventilation and waste handling, mercury use is safe and compliant with environmental regulations.

Industrial Application

The instrument is designed for characterizing porosity and structure in a wide range of solid materials.

Typical Sample Types:

Catalysts and ceramics
Construction materials (e.g., concrete, cement)
Filtration membranes and foams
Battery electrodes and separators
Pharmaceutical tablets and powders
Soil, rock, and geological cores

Application Areas:

Materials science: Microstructure analysis
Oil & gas: Reservoir characterization
Pharmaceuticals: Tablet porosity for dissolution studies
Environmental: Soil permeability and retention capacity
Energy storage: Pore networks in battery materials

Parameter	Result Example
Total intrusion volume	0.345 mL/g
Total porosity	42.5%
Median pore diameter	1.35 µm
Cumulative surface area	3.42 m²/g
Pore size distribution	Bimodal (macro + meso)

Note: Results depend on material type, density, and sample preparation.

Industrial Application

Sample size: Typically 1–2 g (depends on porosity)
Form: Solid, dry, and structurally stable materials
Pre-treatment: Drying at appropriate temperature to remove moisture
Container: Compatible penetrometer or sample holder supplied by the manufacturer

Regulatory testing

Environmental testing

Data analysis

Regulatory testing

Environmental testing

Data analysis

Sample Requirements

Application Case

Example Result

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