[barth]

Hello,

Can someone indicates me some basic references that explain capillary condensation to a physicist? I would like to estimate the variation of the amount of ethanol condensated in a porous silicon sample ( pore diameter roughly 30nm) under constant vapour flow, as we heat the system.  I have read that the condensation-evaporation process is quite different that for a bulk liquid, but can we still use the latent heat of vaporisation and classical thermodynamic datas- at least for a first approximation ? I expect the effects of the interface silicon/condensed ethanol to be important, but i don't know how to estimate them.
I also expect the size of the pore to be of primordial importance, but - again - i didn't find a reference that explained it.

Thanks

Barth

[Donaldson Tan]

Google for the Equivalent Laminar Film Theory for multiphase flow