Polycarbonate Track-Etched Membranes by Nuclear Fission Reaction: Preparation and Characterization

Abstract

Uniformly-sized cylindrical pores on polycarbonate thin membranes were prepared using the nuclear fission reaction (nf) and chemical etching methods. A triuranium octoxide (U3O8)-coated plate was attached to commercial polycarbonate sheets before being bombarded with thermal neutrons (flux of 8.9 × 109 n cm-2 s-1) from the thermal column of Thai Research Reactor-1/Modification-1 (TRR-1/M1) for 15 min. The paths of nuclear fission products were collimated to perpendicularly impact the membrane surface by an interlaid 5-mm-thick particle screener. The latent tracked membrane was then chemically etched with 6 N NaOH at 60°C for 60 min. The monodisperse porous membrane obtained has average pore density 1.04 x 106 pore/cm2 with average pore diameter 1.68 μm as determined by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The mechanical and physical properties such as fluid (water and air) flow rates were analyzed. The prepared membrane was demonstrated to be able to retain different sizes and types of particles.