Improved Track-Etched Filter Technology

We will improve microfilter technology with a superior track-etched filter. Microfilters are used ivariety of analytical procedures including the concentration of macromolecules, the sterilization ofpharmaceuticals, and to analyze microbiological impurities. These track-etched filters will be madebeams, polyimide membranes and a novel 'varying-incidence' irradiation technique. Recent advances intechnology allow accelerator-ions to be economically competitive and technically superior to the trafission-fragment sources. The resulting filters will be chemically cleaner and have no residual radibe used instead of traditional materials (such as polycarbonate) due to its superior mechanical, cheproperties. We will also attempt to increase the porosity of the track-etched filter by varying theduring irradiation. This work will consist of several aims: i) irradiating the membranes, ii) etchincharacterizing the resulting filter, and iv) repeating the procedure using varying-incidence irradiaresult in a robust track-etch filter that combines uniform pore size and high porosity with superiorproperties.