Further studies on the production of PVDF nuclear track microfilters

Abstract

The study of track etch behaviour of Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) was carried out for the purpose of producing nuclear track microfilters. PVDF foils (trade name “Solef”) were irradiated with 238 U ions of 13.7 Mev/N at UNILAC (GSI, Darmstadt), and then etched in the solution of KOH + KMnO 4 at the temperature of (70±1) °C. In order to obtain an optimum etchant, the concentrations of KOH and KMnO 4 , respectively, were systematically varied. The experimental results show that the solution of 10 N KOH + 0.25 FW ( formula weight ) KMnO 4 seems to be a practical etchant for the production of PVDF nuclear track microfilters. The radial etch rate (RER) for this solution is about 3 times higher than that reported by Khodai-Joopary et al. (1988). The response function V= V T V B and the track etch rate V T for these ions as well as the bulk etch rate V B for this etching condition will be reported.