Wet Granular Materials: A Three-Dimensional Study Using X-Ray Microtomography

Wet granular materials are ubiquitous in nature, and are of immense economic importance in the storage, handling and processing of minerals, coal, detergents, pharmaceuticals and foodstuffs. Interstitial liquid has a dramatic effect on the cohesion, flow and mixing of granular materials, but we currently have only a limited fundamental understanding of such systems. Cutting-edge X-ray microtomography will be used to obtain, for the first time, detailed information on the relationship between liquid distribution and the structure and properties of wet granular materials. The knowledge gained will have significant scientific and technological impacts in fields ranging from soil science to minerals processing.