Imbibition kinetics of spherical colloidal aggregates.

The imbibition kinetics of a millimeter-sized aggregate of 300 nm diameter colloidal particles by a wetting pure solvent is studied. Three successive regimes are observed. First, the imbibition proceeds by compressing the air inside the aggregate. Next, the solvent stops when the pressure of the compressed air is equal to the excess of capillary pressure at the meniscus of the wetting solvent in the porous aggregate. The interface is pinned and the aggregate slowly degases up to the point where the pressure of the entrapped air stops decreasing and is controlled by the capillary pressure. Finally, the imbibition starts again at a constant excess of pressure, smaller than the capillary pressure but larger than the one of the atmosphere. This last stage leads to the complete infiltration of the aggregate.