Vacuum Tests
Aryana p -
Vacuum Tests
This week, I began vacuum testing and analysis of each membrane. I put both the bulk QAMS and the spin-coated membrane into the set up. As per usual, this process involves a 24 hr time. Every four hours, the concentration of the carbon dioxide increases. It goes from 400, 1000, 10000, 140000, and 20000 ppm. This increase is so that I am able to test the membranes permeability—or the ability for gas to flow through the membrane—in different environments.
400 ppm is average outside levels of carbon dioxide.
1000 ppm is an upwards level of inside enclosed spaces.
The other levels can be useful if levels continue to increase, or if a user manages to flow large concentrations through the membrane at once.
The reason why this is tested with a vacuum is because a vacuum creates a suction through the membrane. In other words, instead of a natural flow of carbon dioxide through the membrane, air is being pulled through pores of the membrane.
Paper Writing
As these tests were going, I managed to finish up research paper and it is now edit-ready. The process was a lot simpler than I imagined. Throughout testing, I had been going to the computer and simply writing the purpose of my work. For Example:
Methodology:
Tensile Strength:
Purpose: To test the mechanical properties of the membrane
Instrument: Instron 3000, ASTM D-1708
Parameters: Dog Bone structure, 5 mm width, 20 mm initial width
Equation:
ε=ΔL/L0 (1)
I organized each of my tests like this, and then quickly put into the sentence form below:
Bulk samples were cut into dogbone shapes using ASTM D-1708, with a gauge width (w) of 5 mm and length (L0) of 22 mm. Displacement (ΔL) and load (FN) were measured using an Instron E3000 and stretched at a rate of 5 mm per min. Stress (ε) was calculated using
ε=ΔLL0 (1)
This way, I was able to finish my paper within a week!