Correlation between the Sorption-Induced Deformation of Nanoporous Glass and the Continuous Freezing of Adsorbed Argon

In this article we study the dependence of the sorption-induced deformation of nanoporous glass on the liquid-solid phase transition of adsorbed argon. During cooling we observe a continuous reduction of the expansion of the porous glass matrix caused by the adsorbate. The contraction is attended by a likewise continuous change of the adsorbed argon's phase state from liquid to solid. This simultaneous behavior evidences that the liquid-solid phase transition leads to a reduction of the pressure the adsorbate exerts on the pore walls. Furthermore, the study shows that small temperature changes can temporarily cause strong deformations of the porous material that decay in long time intervals of up to 1 week. We expect that our observations for the model system of argon and porous glass can be generalized to other systems. Consequently, this study will have implications when considering porous materials for applications, e.g., as a medium for storage.