Capillary condensation, invasion percolation, hysteresis, and discrete memory

Abstract
A model of the capillary condensation process, i.e., of adsorption-desorption isotherms, having only pore-pore interactions is constructed. The model yields (1) hysteretic isotherms, (2) invasion percolation on desorption, and (3) hysteresis with discrete memory for interior chemical potential loops. All of these features are seen in experiment. The model is compared to a model with no pore-pore interactions (the Preisach model) and to a related model of interacting pore systems (the random field Ising model). The capillary condensation model differs from both. © 1996 The American Physical Society.