Study on Polymeric Nonporous Membrane Fabrication Using High Energy Protons

In the present work, we prepared micro and nonporous polyvinyl butyral (PVB) mediausing the nuclear track-etching method. A beam of high energy protons (30 MeV) was usedto create the tracks in PVB films. Thus, a frame was designed and constructed to keep the films perpendicular to the proton beam in vacuum. The irradiated polymers were chemicallyetched by predefined normalities of sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The etching rate in PVBwas dependent on concentration of etching reagent, etching temperature, and time. All theexperiments were performed at constant temperature. Relationships between the etchingrate and the etching parameters were obtained from experimental data and can be used to control the pore size of PVB track-etch membrane. The pore sizes and their structures were studied using optical microscope (OM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM).