The dielectric properties of porous glasses, obtained from sodium boro
silicate glass, were investigated in the frequency range 20 Hz to 1 MH
z and temperature range -100 degrees C to +300 degrees C for the purpo
se of inferring the geometric properties of porous materials. The feat
ures of the dielectric properties due to the geometrical disorder were
analysed by using models describing the non-Debye slow decay dynamics
. The dielectric response is affected by the geometrical micro- and me
sostructural properties of the porous matrix and the properties of the
material filling the pores. It provides information on the hindered d
ynamics of water molecules, located within the pores and affected by t
he surfaces. An analysis of the dielectric parameters enables us to de
scribe the porosity of the materials. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. A
ll rights reserved.