3.12. Mercury Immersion Porosimetry

Textural properties of the scaffolds (total pore volume (V_p), pore size distribution, and open porosity (ε_MIP)) before and after storage were measured through mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) with an Autopore IV equipment (9500 model, Micromeritics, Norcross, GA, USA). MIP was operated with a 3 mL penetrometer for solids and at working pressures ranging from 0.07 to 1724 bar. Porosity and mean pore size (MIP—mean pore size) were determined using the Washburn equation from the variation of the intruded volume of mercury (V_p,MIP) in the scaffolds with the increase of pressure [73].