Imbibition-Induced Deformation in Nanoporous Vycor Glass

We present time-dependent macroscopic dilatometry experiments on the deformation of nanoporous monoliths (Vycor glass) upon spontaneous,capillarity-driven infiltration of water. We find two distinct dynamical regimes. One of them can be quantitatively traced to deformation originating in changes in the surface stress at the inner pore walls (dynamic Bangham's regime) upon water invasion, whereas the second results from from Laplace pressure effects. Our study demostrates that it is possible to monitor imbibition dynamics by simply dilatometry measurements.