Partial Wetting in Capillary Liquid Absorption by Limestones.
We report measurements of the capillary absorption (imbibition) of water, n-heptane, n-decane, n-dodecane, methanol, ethanol, propan-2-ol, and ethanol-water mixtures into a number of dry calcitic limestones. The data are analyzed on the basis of unsaturated flow theory to give values of sorptivity S for water and for each organic liquid at different temperatures. The results show that for the organic liquids S varies as (surface tension/viscosity)(1/2) but that for the water S is anomalously low, indicating partial wetting. The wettability of these limestones is discussed in relation to natural contamination of the pore surface. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.
Taylor
SC
Department of Building Engineering, UMIST, Manchester, M60 1QD, United Kingdom
Hall
C
Hoff
WD
Wilson
MA