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Item type:Publication, Access status: with files , Combined effects of salt and microplastics on evaporation and crystallization dynamics in porous media(American Chemical Society (ACS), 2026-03-18); ; ; ; This study investigates the combined effects of salinity and microplastic contamination on the evaporation process and salt crystallization in porous media through complementary column- and pore-scale experiments. Laboratory soil columns were packed with either pure sand or sand mixed with 5% (w/w) poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) microplastics and subsequently saturated with freshwater or saline (NaCl) solution. Evaporation and crystallization dynamics were monitored by using mass loss measurements, surface optical and thermal imaging, and synchrotron X-ray tomography. Results show that salinity consistently suppressed evaporation by roughly 25–30%, whereas PVC microplastics enhanced it, generating substantial differences in cumulative water loss across treatments. Moreover, thermal imaging revealed distinct surface responses: NaCl samples developed salt crusts that progressively reduced local temperature contrasts and led to more spatially uniform surface conditions, whereas PVC-NaCl samples exhibited lower mean surface temperatures but substantially higher spatial variability, reflected in larger and more persistent temperature anomalies during drying. Pore-scale μCT imaging further confirmed that microplastics altered crystallization patterns by redistributing salt deposition over the upper part of the sand profile and modifying the nucleation behavior. Together, these findings underscore the complex interplay between microplastics and salinity, with implications for soil moisture regulation, surface energy flux, and environmental monitoring strategies.Publicationtype: Journal Article30 53 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Access status: with files , High-resolution analysis of ordered and disordered isoporous 3D nanostructures using PXCT(Springer, 2026-02-17); ; ; ; Many applications of 3D isoporous (nano)structures rely on the use of liquids flowing through the material. Therefore, a better understanding of the underlying processes and the influence of the structural properties on the fluid flow is of high importance. However, due to the small structure sizes, the analysis of the fluid flow processes is difficult. Using synchrotron radiation-based ptychography X-ray computed tomography (PXCT), ordered and disordered isoporous Al2O3 structures with different nominal pore sizes are investigated and characterized. The detailed, scanned 3D structures are simulated regarding their differences in fluid flow properties. It was found that ordering has only a minor influence on the fluid velocity’s homogeneity compared to the influence of the connection points between the macropores.Publicationtype: Journal Article52 47