Fractal analysis of gas diffusion in porous nanofibers

© 2015 World Scientific Publishing Company. In this study, with the consideration of pore size distribution and tortuosity of capillaries, the analytical model for gas diffusivity of porous nanofibers is derived based on fractal theory. The proposed fractal model for the normalized gas diffusivity (De/D0) is found to be a function of the porosity, the area fractal dimensions of pore and the fractal dimension of tortuous capillaries. It is found that the normalized gas diffusivity decreases with increasing of the tortuosity fractal dimension. However, the normalized gas diffusivity is positively correlated with the porosity. The prediction of the proposed fractal model for porous nanofibers with porosity less than 0.75 is highly consistent with the experimental and analytical results found in the literature. The model predictions are compared with the previously reported experimental data, and are in good agreement between the model predictions and experimental data is found. The validity of the present model is thus verified. Every parameter of the proposed formula of calculating the normalized gas diffusivity has clear physical meaning. The proposed fractal model can reveal the physical mechanisms of gas diffusion in porous nanofibers.