Browsing by Subject "Pore structure"
Now showing items 1-2 of 2
-
(2019)The spatial porosity and mineral distribution of geological materials strongly affects transport processes in them. X-ray micro computed tomography (X-mu CT) has proven to be a powerful tool for characterizing the spatial mineral distribution of geological samples in 3-D. However, limitations in resolution prevent an accurate characterization of pore space especially for tight crystalline rock samples and 2-D methods such as C-14-polymethylmethacrylate (C-14-PMMA) autoradiography and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are needed. The spatial porosity and mineral distributions of tight crystalline rock samples from Aspo, Sweden, and Olkiluoto, Finland, were studied here. The X-mu CT were used to characterize the spatial distribution of the main minerals in 3-D. Total porosities, fracture porosities, fracture densities and porosity distributions of the samples were determined using the C-14-PMMA autoradiography and characterization of mineral-specific porosities were assisted using chemical staining of rock surfaces. SEM and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used to determine pore apertures and identify the minerals. It was shown that combination of the different imaging techniques creates a powerful tool for the structural characterization of crystalline rock samples. The combination of the results from different methods allowed the construction of spatial porosity, mineral and mineral grain distributions of the samples in 3-D. These spatial distributions enable reactive transport modeling using a more realistic representation of the heterogeneous structure of samples. Furthermore, the realism of the spatial distributions were increased by determinig the densities and porosities of fractures and by the virtual construction heterogeneous mineral distributions of minerals that cannot be separated by X-mu CT.
-
(2021)Novel bioeconomic approaches call for increasingly faster production of lignocellulosic biomass and its bettertailored use for higher added value. The high-yield capacity and structural properties of willows (Salix spp.) suggest their excellent potential for the production of designed biochar for use in agronomic, electronic and technical applications. All these applications rely on the internal pore structure of biochar. However, we lack an in-depth quantitative understanding of the interlinkages between the feedstock properties and the physical quality of the biochar produced. We studied quantitatively how the clonal and within-plant properties of five different willow clones (hybrids of Salix schwerinii E.L. Wolf) affected the micrometre-scale pore properties of the produced biochars (pyrolyzed at + 462 ?C). The porosity and pore size distribution were analysed before and after slow pyrolysis by X-ray microtomography and image analysis. We also studied the potential of conventional low-cost fibre analysis techniques to be used to predict biochar pore properties directly from fresh feedstock. The total porosity (0.55?0.62) and the pore size distribution of willow wood and derived biochars varied between clones. Approximately two-thirds of the biochar total porosity was associated with pores formed by wood fibres. Pyrolysis levelled off the structural variation detected between and within the clones. Pyrolysis-induced shrinkage reduced the pore sizes and narrowed the pore size distribution. The results suggest that conventional fibre analysis techniques could be utilized to predict biochar homogeneity. Short rotation coppice willows are suitable feedstock to produce homogenous biochar precursor for production of bio-based carbon materials to be used in high value-added technical applications. The structural homogeneity of the feedstock and produced biochar can be enhanced by selecting proper harvesting strategy and clones used in plantations. From the industrial perspective, comprehensive understanding of feedstock properties helps to control quality of the produced biochar.
