Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol.48, No.7, 3417-3424, 2009
Morphological and Thermal-Mechanical Stretching Properties on Polymeric Lateral Flow Nitrocellulose Membrane
Lateral flow nitrocellulose (NC) membrane is well-known its the transport medium in a diagnostic test strip, The function of the membrane is greatly influenced by its physical morphology and chemical composition. Hence, a thermal-mechanical stretching technique was introduced to modify polymeric membrane morphologies for various performance studies. Membrane samples were stretched at the appropriate settings of stretching elongation, stretching speed, and stretching temperature. Experimental, AFM, and SEM results show that membrane morphologies changed significantly as a result of the stretching effects. The current study has demonstrated that physical thermal-mechanical stretching properties are important in modifying membrane morphologies for specific applications, since these parameters potentially affect the membrane's final performances. These findings provided some insight on the relationship between stretched membranes' morphology and performances. This knowledge is useful in producing both versatile and durable nitrocellulose membranes for lateral flow applications.