Illuminating nanoparticle retention in porous media in situ (preparation of EV504)

The goal is to visualise dynamically nanoparticle (NP) aggregation and retention processes in porous media. In particular to optimize the imaging conditions and probe, whether this can be done with fewer projections and/or shorter exposure time to increased time resolution. Until now, these processes have been mainly interpreted based on simple inverse modelling of NP breakthrough curves from macroscale column experiments, based on hypothesized mechanisms. In fact, there is no direct proof of the hypothesised aggregation and retention processes and most importantly, little knowledge of how they rely on characteristics of the porous media and injection conditions. We intend to perform the first in situ experiments on the transport process of NPs and aggregates thereof in porous media using in situ X-ray microCT. We need in situ data to be able to identify the exact processes that lead to NP mass accumulation inside the porous media.