New Non-radiation Technology for Manufacturing Nano- and Micro-Track Membranes

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The proposal relates to a non-radiation technology of manufacturing nano- and micro-track membranes by deep penetration. A track membrane is a thin polymer film with through pores which are formed by penetrating a special substance into and through the material of a polymer plate and then removing the traces of penetrated particles from the matrix material thus forming pores. The track membrane may find use in various fields of industry as conventional membrane filters for purification of liquid substances from solid contaminants, e.g. as dialysis filter or water purification.

The new technology provides 5-10 multiple reduction of cost of the membranes and does not require the use of radiation and toxic solvents.

The technology is carried out by using a matrix material of the membrane and special working substances which interact with the matrix in the form of a high-speed jet generated and energized by an explosion of an explosive material. The special working substance comprises a saturated or supersaturated aqueous solution or solutions of water soluble organic salts. The matrix material comprises an organic polymer material in the form of a solid plate.

A device for realization of the technology (Fig.1) comprises a shell in the form of a tube one end of which contains a cartridge with an explosive material and a working substance in the form of a solution of a water-soluble salt or salts. Inserted freely into the other end of the shell is a holder that contains a membrane matrix to be treated in the form of a plate. The open end of the holder is closed by a cover which is attached to the holder, e.g. by screws, whereby the membrane matrix is secured in the holder. The shell with the cartridge that contains the explosive material and the working substance as well as the holder with the matrix of the material to be treated is placed into an explosion-proof chamber, and the explosive material is detonated to cause an explosion.

As a result, the working substance is expelled from the cartridge by an explosive wave in the form of a high-speed jet and penetrates deep into and through the polymer material of the plate. Under the effect of the explosion, the holder with the polymer plate and cover is ejected from the shell into the explosion-proof chamber. The cover is disconnected from the holder, the matrix is extracted, and is subjected to treatments with water that dissolves the water-soluble particles or washes them out from the membrane matrix thus forming microscopic openings that pass through the polymer plate. Then the polymer plate is sliced into thin pieces that can be used, e.g., as filter plates (Fig.2).

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  • ABOUT THE ENTRANT

  • Name:
    Oleg Figovsky
  • Type of entry:
    team
    Team members:
    O. Figovsky
    E.Gotlib
    D.Pashin
    L.Shapovalov
    A.Leykin
    O.Birukova
    D.Beilin
  • Number of times previously entering contest:
    7
  • Oleg's favorite design and analysis tools:
    Polymer coimposite materials
  • Oleg's hobbies and activities:
    Opera, Classic music
  • Oleg belongs to these online communities:
    European Academy of Science
  • Oleg is inspired by:
    The latest achievments of our company in the field of nanotechnology
  • Software used for this entry:
    Word 97-2003
  • Patent status:
    pending