When selecting a filter, there are several factors that one must consider to carry out various applications or achieve specific goals. This article will walk you through choosing the appropriate filter in just a few easy steps. To begin, consider the application while selecting the proper pore size. Second, you will choose the most suitable material for the housing and the application's membrane. Thirdly, you will choose the appropriate membrane area to maximize the throughput and flow rate. This will help you get the most out of the membrane. And last, select the nylon syringe filter design that will work the best for the application you are developing.
Figuring Out Which Pore Size Is Right for Your Application
Your ultimate goal or application will determine the appropriate pore size for the material. For instance, the ideal pore size for a filter is 0.1 micrometers to get rid of mycoplasma. However, pore filter membranes with a thickness of between 0.2 and 0.22 micrometers are often used for routine sterilization of most natural gases, fluids, buffers, and media. Another illustration of this would be using a filter with a pore size of 0.45 microns or more remarkable for the prefiltration and clarity of solvents and solutions. Utilizing glass fiber prefilters during the process of prefiltration is another method that may be used to enhance the filter's performance.
Cellulose Acetate
Since these membranes have low protein binding, it is advised to use them for applications requiring minimal protein binding, such as filtering a culture medium that includes sera. In addition, they have a minimal capability for forming bonds.
Cellulose Nitrate
When there is no need to worry about protein binding, it is advised that you use these membranes. It is the material of choice for standard applications such as buffer filtration and is highly recommended.
During the production process, the membranes made from cellulose acetate and cellulose nitrate have trace quantities of wetting agents. This is done to guarantee that the membranes are adequately soaked. They may be eliminated by passing heated water that has undergone purification through the filtration unit and membrane.
Nylon
Due to the absence of wetting agents, these membranes are ideal for use in applications that place stringent demands on the number of extractable produced. In addition, they have a more potent chemical resistance, which enables them to filter harsh solutions such as alcohol more effectively than other materials.
Polyethersulfone
These membranes are highly recommended for the filtration of a cell culture medium with low extractable content and a poor protein binding capacity.
Regenerated Cellulose
In addition to being hydrophilic, these membranes exhibit solid resistance to the chemical effects of solvents. Therefore, most of the time, they are used for degassing or ultra-cleaning solvents.
Polytetrafluorethylene
These membranes have been designed to be hydrophobic in their permanent and natural states, making them ideal for filtering gases like humidified air.
Glass Fiber
Glass fiber filters have a high particle loading capacity and are used for the prefiltration of solutions. These filters are manufactured of glass.
The material that the housing is made of is another factor to think about; thus, it is essential to find out whether or not the material is compatible with the solutions that are being filtered. For example, polystyrene, acrylic copolymer, polyvinyl chloride, as well as polypropylene are all materials that could be utilized.