Hydrophobic nanoporous carbon scaffolds reveal the origin of polarity-dependent electrocapillary imbibition.

An engineered nanoporous carbon scaffold (NCS) consisting of a 3-D interconnected 85 nm nanopore network was used here as a model material to investigate the nanoscale transport of liquids as a function of the polarity and magnitude of an applied potential ('electro-imbibition'), all in 1 M KCl solution. A camera was used to track both meniscus formation and meniscus jump, front motion dynamics, and droplet expulsion, while also quantifying the electrocapillary imbibition height () as a function of the applied potential of the NCS material. Although no imbibition was seen over a wide range of potentials, at positive potentials (+1.

Wetting dynamics of nanoliter water droplets in nanoporous media.

Hypothesis: The Lucas-Washburn (L-W) equation is the classical theory to describe the dynamics of spontaneous imbibition in single micro-channels and micro-scale porous media. However, for nanoliter droplets imbibition in nanoporous media, the L-W equation may not be suitable, due to the nanoscale liquid-solid interactions, e.g.

Live Imaging of Micro-Wettability Experiments Performed for Low-Permeability Oil Reservoirs.

Low-permeability (unconventional) hydrocarbon reservoirs exhibit a complex nanopore structure and micro (µm) -scale variability in composition which control fluid distribution, displacement and transport processes. Conventional methods for characterizing fluid-rock interaction are however typically performed at a macro (mm) -scale on rock sample surfaces. In this work, innovative methods for the quantification of micro-scale variations in wettability and fluid distribution in a low-permeability oil reservoir was enabled by using an environmental scanning electron microscope.

Applicability of micro-FTIR in detecting shale heterogeneity.

Samples of Late Devonian/Early Mississippian New Albany Shale from the Illinois Basin, having maturities ranging from early mature to postmature, were analysed using micro-Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ImageJ processing software and scanning electron microscopic X-ray spectroscopy to explore the distribution, connectivity and chemical composition of organic matter, clay minerals, carbonate minerals and quartz, and to further test the applicability of micro-FTIR mapping to study shale heterogeneity. Each sample was analysed in planes parallel and perpendicular to the bedding to investigate anisotropy in component distribution, with a possible implication for better understanding anisotropy in porosity and permeability in organic-matter-rich shales. Our results show that for low-maturity samples, organic matter is better connected in the plane parallel to the bedding than in the plane perpendicular to the bedding.