MOLECULAR-DYNAMICS SIMULATIONS OF PHASE-SEPARATION IN POROUS-MEDIA

The phase separation of a binary fluid mixture in a two-dimensional porous medium was investigated with molecular dynamics simulations. A variety of wetting conditions were studied. After a transient period of relatively fast growth, a domain pattern consisting of alternating plugs (both species wet the pores) or a series of capsules (one species preferentially wets the pores) forms, which coarsens extremely slowly. Dynamical scaling is observed throughout the time period of the simulations.