Study of lithium encapsulation in porous membrane using ion and neutron beams

Ion track-etched membranes are porous systems obtained by etching of the latent ion tracks using a suitable etchant solution. In this work, control of the pores' spatial profiles and dimensions in PET polymers was achieved by varying etching temperature and etching time. For determination of the pores' shape, Ion Transmission Spectroscopy technique was employed. In this method, alterations of the energy loss spectra of the transmitted ions reflect alterations in the material density of the porous foils, as well as alterations of their thickness. Simulation code, developed by the team, allowed the tomographic study of the ion track 3D geometry and its evolution during chemical etching. From the doping of porous membranes with lithium-based solution and its analysis by Thermal Neutron Depth Profiling method, the ability of porous PET membranes to encapsulate nano-sized material was also inspected. The study is important for various applications, e.g., for catalysis, active agents, biosensors, etc.