Apiezon L-type grease coating of 8-µm Nuclepore Polycarbonate coarse filters used in GENT aerosol sampling units
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Date
2006-04
Authors
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Publisher
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
Abstract
Coarse stage Nuclepore filters used in GENT aerosol sampling units were coated with a thin film of Apiezon L-type grease in order to minimise the loss of particles on the filters due to 'bounce off'. Originally Freon was used as the solvent to dissolve the Apiezon grease in the coating process. Because of the environmental impact, Freon was discontinued and replaced with Fluorinert. Apiezon grease did not dissolve freely in the Fluorinert and it was replaced by Fomblin grease in 1995. This increased production costs and coated Nuclepore coarse filters ceased production in 2004. Users were concerned that their stocks of coated Nuclepore filters were diminishing and as no alternative supply was available the feasibility of coating the coarse filters in house needed to be investigated. This report describes experiments conducted at ANSTO and the results obtained during the investigation of the coating process under laboratory conditions. Apiezon grease and Toluene were used in this process. Experiments were based on the procedure proposed by Prof P. Hopke and Dr A. Markwitz [1] with modification to this technique to increase the uniformity of the grease layer across the filter surface and to achieve approximately 100 µg of Apiezon grease per filter.
Description
Keywords
Aerosols, Filters, Sampling, Greases
Citation
Stelcer, E., Noorman, J., Button, D., Hawas, O., Cohen, D. D. (2006). Apiezon L-type grease coating of 8-μm Nuclepore Polycarbonate coarse filters used in GENT aerosol sampling units (ANSTO/E-760). Lucas Heights, N.S.W: Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Institute for Environmental Research.