With the addition of copper microparticles, the electrical conductivity of a hexagonal mesoporous silica (HMS) disk can be enhanced. As an electric field is applied across the interface of the HMS-Cu mixture and an electrolyte solution, the liquid infiltration pressure increases considerably, which is also dependent on the nanopore size. It may be attributed to the surface charge effect, which is amplified by the large surface to volume ratio. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.