PubMed · 2026-05-09
Researchers discovered that a clay material made from waste products absorbs water rapidly and releases it slowly, thanks to a two-tiered pore structure — large channels for quick uptake and tiny pores for slow release. The right particle size amplifies both effects, making it a promising low-cost additive for dry soils.
WSC has a two-scale pore network: millimeter-scale macropores enable rapid water uptake, while micrometer-scale micropores provide slow, sustained release lasting significantly longer than loess soil.
WSC dramatically outperformed loess (a common natural soil) in both unsaturated capillary absorption and saturated water uptake under experimental conditions.
An intermediate particle size range optimally balanced absorption capacity and sustained-release longevity, establishing a quantitative structure-performance relationship.