Got Lots Of Questions ?
Answers To Your Questions In Detail
Porous Materials Inc. USA always works with the scientific community to provide instrumentation solutions for reliable and accurate measurement of porosity characteristics and provides breakthrough solutions implementing these techniques for different types of materials. Our dedicated team of scientists and design engineers are happy to talk with our esteemed customers about various aspects of the measurement techniques and instrumentation itself. Anyone from beginners to experts in porosity may feel free to contact PMI team at info@pmiapp.com. We would be happy to help answer your porosity related questions.
General company & services
What does PMI (Porous Materials Inc.) do?
PMI designs and manufactures advanced instruments for porosity, permeability, surface area, and density characterization
What are the main services offered by PMI?
PMI provides contract porosity and permeability testing, instrument-specific consulting, application support, and training (including remote support and, when available, on-site visits).
Does PMI offer in-house contract testing? What types of materials can be tested?
Yes; PMI’s Analytical Testing Services can test a wide range of porous and particulate materials such as membranes, filters, rocks, powders, ceramics, and more using its own instrument suite.
What types of materials can be tested at the PMI analytical laboratory?
PMI provides testing for a vast range of porous materials, including membranes, filter media, paper, textiles, battery separators, fuel cells, and rock cores. Services include pore size distribution, surface area analysis, and permeability measurements.
How do I request a testing service for my samples?
You can submit a testing request form available on the website or place an order directly online. Samples are typically mailed to the PMI facility, where specialized tests like BET analysis, mercury porosimetry, or liquid extrusion are performed.
Can PMI provide consulting or training on porosity and permeability characterization?
Yes; PMI offers method-consulting, on-site or remote training, and application-specific guidance for interpreting porosity and permeability data.
Does PMI offer custom instruments or modifications to standard machines?
Yes; PMI regularly builds customized or modified instruments tailored to specific sample types, pressure ranges, or integration requirements.
Methodology, samples, and applications
What sample types (rocks, membranes, filters, powders, fabrics, battery separators, etc.) can be tested with PMI equipment?
PMI instruments handle membranes, filters, rocks, powders, ceramics, fabrics, battery separators, hollow-fiber membranes, nonwovens, textiles, and more across its product lines.
What are typical sample sizes and preparation requirements for PMI instruments?
Sample sizes vary by instrument; PMI can analyze many shapes and sizes, and its testing services form notes that sample size and prep depend on the chosen method.
How long does a typical pore-size or permeability test take on PMI machines?
Many tests (e.g., capillary-flow porometry, liquid permeability) run in ~10–30 minutes, while more complex porosimetry or gas-sorption tests can take 1–2 hours.
Can PMI instruments export data to Excel, CSV, or LIMS/SCADA systems?
Yes; PMI-series instruments typically include Windows-based software that exports data to Excel, CSV, and other formats, and can be integrated with lab-data systems.
Does PMI provide application notes or case studies for my specific material (e.g., battery separators, nanofiber nonwovens, hollow-fiber membranes)?
Yes; PMI publishes application notes and technical papers for various materials, and application engineers can help select the right method and instrument for your specific use case.
Porometry, porosimetry, and pore-size analysis
What is the difference between a porometer, porosimeter, and pore-size analyzer?
A porometer (e.g., Capillary Flow Porometer) measures pore-size distribution in thin membranes and filters via gas/liquid flow; a porosimeter (e.g., Liquid Extrusion Porosimeter) measures bulk pore structure; a pore-size analyzer typically combines multiple methods for detailed pore-size and distribution data.
Which PMI instruments are best for measuring pore-size distribution in membranes and filters?
The Advanced Capillary Flow Porometer and Capillary Flow Porometer (CFP) series are designed specifically for pore-size, bubble-point, and through-pore analysis in membranes, filters, and thin-sheet materials.
Can PMI machines measure both through-pores and blind pores?
Capillary-flow porometers mainly detect through-pores; liquid/mercury extrusion porometers and porosimeters can also capture blind or closed pores, depending on the method and pressure range.
What pore-size range do PMI porometers and porosimeters cover?
Depending on the model, PMI instruments can measure pore sizes from roughly 2 nm up to 100s of microns, covering nano-pores (e.g., Liquid Liquid Porometer) to large macropores.
What data outputs do PMI pore-size analyzers provide (e.g., mean flow pore, bubble-point, pore-size distribution)?
Typical outputs include bubble-point, mean flow pore, pore-size distribution (micron or nm), and through-pore count, plus graphical plots and exportable data files.
Permeameters and permeability testers
What is the difference between a gas permeameter, liquid permeameter, and steady-state liquid permeameter?
A gas permeameter measures gas-flow permeability; a liquid permeameter measures liquid-flow permeability; and a steady-state liquid permeameter maintains constant pressure/flow to determine intrinsic permeability under steady-state conditions.
Can PMI permeameters measure both gas and liquid permeability?
Some PMI systems (e.g., Pulse Decay Permeameter) specialize in gas; others (Liquid Permeameter, Multi-Sample Permeameter) are optimized for liquids, but modules can often be adapted for different fluids.
Which PMI instruments are suitable for rock-core and reservoir-rock permeability testing?
The Advanced Bendsten Permeability & Surface Roughness Tester, Pulse Decay Permeameter, and CFS (Core Flow System) are designed for rock-core and reservoir-rock permeability under stress.
Can I run both laboratory-scale and educational-scale permeability experiments with PMI equipment?
Yes; PMI offers both research-grade permeameters and simpler, educational-oriented setups for teaching porosity and permeability concepts.
Do PMI permeameters support multi-sample or automated testing?
Yes; instruments such as the Multi-Sample Porosimeter & Permeameter and other automated systems allow batch testing of multiple samples with programmable pressure and flow sequences.
Membrane and filtration systems
Does PMI offer machines for hollow-fiber membrane manufacturing and testing?
Yes; PMI provides hollow-fiber membrane-production and testing platforms, including rigs for performance evaluation and integrity testing.
What is the purpose of the Membrane Distillation Module and Pervaporation machine?
These modules are used for membrane distillation (MD) and pervaporation (PV) experiments, studying vapor-driven separation processes for desalination, dehydration, and solvent separation.
Can PMI systems measure membrane flux, rejection, fouling, and performance under pressure?
Yes; PMI filtration and membrane-testing systems continuously record
Pressure, leak, and burst-pressure equipment (APP series)
What is the difference between the APP Automated Pressure Control System (APCS) and the Enhanced APCS?
The APCS provides precise pressure control for testing; the Enhanced APCS adds higher accuracy, better diagnostics, and often wider pressure or automation options for advanced applications.
What are the main uses of the APP Automated Pressure Holding Tester (APHT) and Pressure Leak Tester (APLT)?
The APHT holds a set pressure for fatigue or durability tests, while the APLT quantifies leakage and leak-rate in pressure-containing components.
Can PMI’s APP systems perform cyclic pressure tests for fatigue or durability testing?
Yes; APP systems can be programmed to cycle pressure repeatedly to simulate fatigue and long-term durability behavior of materials and components.
How does the APP Automated Burst Pressure Tester (ABPT) work, and what industries use it?
The ABPT ramps pressure automatically until failure, recording burst pressure and behavior; it is used in piping, tubing, filter-housing, and container-testing industries.
Can the APP systems be integrated into existing test setups or custom rigs?
Yes; APP pressure controllers and testers are designed to integrate with custom fixtures, autoclaves, and industry-specific rigs.
Sorptometers, surface area, and gas-analysis instruments
What is a BET-Sorptometer and what does it measure?
A BET-Sorptometer measures surface area and micropore/mesopore structure via gas adsorption (typically nitrogen), using the BET method and related isotherm models.
Can PMI sorptometers measure both surface area and pore-size distribution?
Yes; many sorptometers combine surface-area analysis with pore-size distribution (via adsorption-desorption isotherms) for micro- and mesoporous materials.
What gases and adsorbates can be used with PMI gas sorption systems?
Common gases include nitrogen, krypton, carbon dioxide, and other non-corrosive adsorbates, depending on the required temperature and material.
How does the Gas Adsorption Isotherm System (GISORP-10KA) work?
The GISORP-10KA measures adsorption-desorption isotherms by dosing gas step-wise and recording equilibrium uptake, enabling surface-area and pore-size analysis.
What is the Envelope Surface Area Analyzer (ESA) used for, and how does it differ from gas sorption?
The ESA measures external envelope surface area of solids (e.g., powders, granules) using gas or liquid displacement, whereas gas sorption probes internal surface area and micropores.
Pycnometers and density measurement
What is the difference between a gas pycnometer and a mercury pycnometer?
A gas pycnometer uses gas displacement for non-destructive true-density measurement; a mercury pycnometer uses mercury intrusion to measure both true density and pore-volume at high pressure.
Can PMI pycnometers measure true density, bulk density, and envelope volume?
Yes; gas pycnometers give true density and envelope volume, while mercury pycnometers add pore-volume and pore-size distribution information.
Are PMI pycnometers suitable for powders, granules, and porous solids?
Yes; PMI pycnometers are designed for a wide range of solids, including powders, granules, and porous materials.
Do PMI pycnometers support automated, multi-sample measurements?
Yes; many PMI pycnometers feature automated gas-filling, pressure-measurement, and multi-chamber configurations for batch testing.
Gas and airflow resistance, filter and mask testing
What do the Frazier Permeability Tester and Gurley Permeability Tester measure?
These testers measure airflow resistance or permeability of fabrics, nonwovens, and porous sheets under standardized conditions (often following textile or ASTM-type methods).
Can PMI machines be used to test surgical masks, respirators, and garments for airflow resistance and pore characteristics?
Yes; PMI’s face-mask and respirator testing rigs, airflow resistance meters, and porometers are used for breathability, bubble-point, and integrity testing of personal-protective equipment.
How does the PMI Integrity Tester work for filter cartridges and membranes?
The Integrity Tester applies controlled gas or liquid pressure across the filter and measures breakthrough or leakage to assess bubble-point and integrity without destroying the sample.
What standards (e.g., ASTM C522-03) do PMI gas-flow and permeability instruments follow?
PMI instruments such as the Airflow Resistance Meter and permeability testers are designed to comply with standards like ASTM C522-03 for airflow resistance of porous materials.
What data does PMI provide for filter integrity, bubble-point, and through-pore testing?
Typical outputs include bubble-point pressure, mean flow pore, pore-size distribution, and pass/fail integrity status, with full test reports and exportable curves.