Imbibition on a porous layer: dynamical and mechanical characterization

Solvent penetration in porous layers was analyzed using dynamical and mechanical characterization. Spreading dynamics of a solvent drop in a porous substrate provided parameters of the porous medium such as permeability and porosity. These measurements are relevant for many porous systems, for example paintings or porous varnishes and resins… We present direct visualizations of the drop as well as of the wet zone during the imbibition process and we evidence three distinct regimes. Experiments performed with various porous systems and different solvents highlight a universal behavior. The mechanical properties during the imbibition process are deduced through indentation testing measurements. We show that solvent penetration is responsible for the appearance of a viscous component in the system. A characteristic time depending on the solvent and on the porous medium is then deduced. The system recovers its initial mechanical properties and no swelling nor cracking is observed contrary to the case of paintings. This result tends to prove that visco-plastic properties are required to observe swelling or cracking.