Donaldson is offering its Tetratex ePTFE membrane, which can be wrapped around crystals to protect them and prolong their life span.
The Tetratex ePTFE membrane's microstructure comprises of small and randomly connected fibrils that render an effective pore size many times smaller than can be seen by the naked eye.
The ePTFE microporous films are naturally hydrophobic and can be used as permeable water barriers.
The Tetratex ePTFE membrane is dimensionally and chemically stable in most chemical environments from -250C to 280C.
The chemical inertness of ePTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) allows Tetratex to be used in a range of crystal scintillator applications.
The Tetratex ePTFE membrane is pushed onto the surfaces of the crystals to decrease the voids of the cube; this increases the reflectance of the crystals.
A scintillator is a material that converts energy lost by ionising radiation into pulses of light.
A popular method for the detection of gamma-rays involves using crystal scintillators.
When hit by the gamma-rays, the crystals emit a visible light.
For medical imaging, an array of crystals in a CAT scanner receives radiation energy and scintillates the isotope to produce an image.
The crystals detect areas of the body that are receptive to the energy within the crystal.
Crystal materials require protection to maintain their accuracy and provide precise measurement capabilities for applications including nuclear medicine imaging, clinical chemistry, astronomy and space exploration.
Tetratex Crystal Wrap acts as a barrier for sodium iodide (Nal), cesium iodide (Cel), alkali - halide as well as other hygroscopic crystal materials.
A scintillation detector capable of withstanding high shock and/or high temperatures comprises a scintillation crystal, a casing for the crystal and a shock-absorbing boot interposed between the crystal and the casing.
A reflector surrounds the crystal, in the form of a thin porous sheet of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) wrapped tightly around the crystal.
The boot has a continuous cylindrical interior surface for engaging the ePTFE sheet to avoid high-pressure concentrations.
The crystal is surrounded by a layer of reflecting material provided between the crystal and the support sleeve.
The layer of reflecting material is formed by a white thin porous unscintered polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sold under the trademark.
Being porous, air or gas can escape from between the layer and the cylindrical surface of the crystal to avoid pockets of trapped air or gas.
These pockets of trapped air or gas could have a negative impact on reflectivity at the layer-crystal interface.
The porous PTFE film is tightly wrapped around the crystal and is generally self-adhering to the cylindrical surface and the circular end of the crystal.
Tetratex Crystal Wrap is polytrafloroethylene (PTFE) membrane manufactured from pure PTFE resin, available from 38 micron to 254 micron thickness.
It is thermally stable, highly reflective and shock resistant.
The Tetratex ePTFE filter media protects crystal scintillators from temperature, moisture and harmful contaminants.
