Partial wetting in capillary liquid absorption by limestones

We report: measurements of the capillary absorption (imbibition) of water, n-heptane, n-decane, n-dodecane, methanol, ethanol, propan-2-ol, and ethano l-water mixtures into a number of dry calcitic limestones. The data are ana lyzed on the basis of unsaturated flow theory to give values of sorptivity S for water and for each organic liquid at different temperatures. The resu lts show that for the organic liquids S varies as (surface tension/viscosit y)(1/2) but that for the water S is anomalously low, indicating partial wet ting. The wettability of these limestones is discussed in relation to natur al contamination of the pore surface. (C) 2000 Academic Press.