The void structure of porous materials used as catalyst supports affects several properties such as permeability to liquids, gas diffusion, organic molecules access, availability of oxidation/reduction active sites, and so forth. Mercury intrusion porosimetry has been widely used to investigate the accessible pore volume starting from about 3.6 nm up to more than 600 µm. The main limitation of mercury porosimetry is related to the measure of the access size to the porous network, to which the volume of mercury intruded, thus the pore volume, is associated. This generates an image of a simple bundle of cylindrical capillaries that might jeopardize further calculations that are related to pore size and pore volume, such as permeability and diffusion. An advanced technique of differential scanning porosimetry (DSP) has been applied to several catalysts supports to better describe the porous network distinguishing the access channels volume and size (pore throats) from the internal junction void volumes (pore cavities).
Tony Thornton
Tony Thornton received both his B.S. degree in Chemistry (cum laude) and his M.S. degree in Analytical Chemistry from Emory University in Atlanta, in 1980. Tony’s research at Emory involved liquid chromatography, specifically the use of ion-pair chromatography and isocratic separation of catecholamines and metabolites. His work supported early research into potential treatment of Parkinson’s disease between Emory and the Veterans Administration hospital in Atlanta.
Tony has been a key member of the Micromeritics team since 1980, specifically evolving the study of particle sizing using liquid chromatography. Tony was also instrumental in developing the SediGraph, DigiSizer, and Elzone, and has made significant contributions to development of products for particle size, physisorption, chemisorption and pycnometer product lines. Most recently, Tony was the recipient of the ASTM International 2021 Cavanaugh Award. He was recognized for outstanding promulgation of standard test methods for powder characterization and for masterful leadership in international standards development organizations.
