Applications
For Venting, Filtration, Diffusion, Fluid Delivery and More…
Polystar Technologies’ precision, sintered porous components provide solutions for all types of applications
Because of their structural integrity and robustness, sintered porous plastic components from Polystar Technologies are used in a wide variety of applications. Features and benefits include:
- Consistently narrow pore size distributions.
- Customizable form factors and dimensions per customer specifications.
- Increased filtration efficiencies for particle removal.
- Effective chemical removal by integrating selective adsorptive materials.
- Materials that can withstand sterilization via autoclave, steam, gamma irradiation, Ethylene Oxide (EtO), etc., while remaining stable across extreme temperature ranges.
- Superb dirt, dust, or particle-holding capacity for long on-stream life.
- Excellent surface filtration, particularly for use in back-pulsing systems.
Venting / Barrier Venting
Venting helps dissipate heat and reduce internal-external pressure differences. Mechanical assemblies, where friction and heat are generated, benefit by reducing costly components such as heat sinks, fans, or blowers. Venting is also critical where pressure can build up in pneumatic systems, lab instrumentation, medical applications, microfluidic devices, or in wash bottles and chemical containers.
Hydrophobic or oleophobic barrier venting not only equalizes variances in heat and pressure, but also restricts the ingress of liquids or particles that damage sensitive microelectronics, pistons, MEMs devices , or other types of moving parts.
Sintered porous UHMWPE and PTFE are often used in barrier venting applications because they offer chemical compatibility while functioning effectively in extreme temperatures. Other types of thermoplastics can be used as well, depending on the application.
Hydrophobic barrier vents used in microelectronics to dissipate heat and to capture dust and other particles.
Filtration / Separation
High Purity Filters
Sintered porous plastics from Polystar Technologies offer many advantages in filtration and separation applications, especially in enhancing filtration efficiency, which is a filter’s ability to remove particles from a liquid or gas. Beyond this, other benefits of Polystar’s porous plastics include:
- Controlled Pore Size and Void Volume: Utilizing PolySmart™ our proprietary manufacturing process, Polystar produces components with unrivaled precision of pore size and porosity distributions. This is crucial for effective filtration and separation. Consistency in our polymers and our processes lead to repeatability and reliability in your products.
- Robustness and Chemical Resistance: Polystar’s sintered porous plastics are robust and resistant to chemical degradation and extreme temperatures. They can withstand exposure to various chemicals, acids, and bases, without compromising functionality.
- Sterilizability: Polystar sintered porous plastics can withstand sterilization while maintaining structural integrity and filtration efficiency, making them suitable for applications in medical, laboratory, and other regulated environments.
Sintered porous plastics from Polystar offer exceptional performance, versatility, and cost-effectiveness. Contact Us to learn more about how our solutions can meet your filtration and separation requirements.
Fluid Delivery/ Absorption / Wicking
Each wicking or absorption application Polystar Technologies tackles can be addressed by any combination of tools in the Polysmart™ toolbox. Parts can be modified by advanced manufacturing processes, treatments (e.g., hydrophobic, hydrophilic, etc.) or materials and material blends. Regardless of the liquid to be absorbed, Polystar can partner with you to develop an optimized absorption, wicking or fluid delivery solution for your application.
Absorption (also referred to as wicking, capillary action, capillary motion, fluid delivery or fluid collection) is the movement of a liquid into the open volume of a material. As the liquid enters the open volume of a material, it is dispersed evenly throughout the bulk. In contrast, adsorption is the accumulation of a liquid at the surface of a material, thereby making it a surface phenomenon.
Fluid Delivery
Evaporation Wick
Click through the photos above to see capillary action over 30-seconds with a sintered PE wick.
Self-Sealing Shutoff Media
Shutoff Filters
Used to protect critical components, through contamination prevention for enhanced safety, shutoff filters and self-sealing media from Polystar Technologies excel in vital applications. Some areas of use include:
- In medical devices, self-sealing vents and filters provide high-efficiency filtration while preventing liquid or aerosol bypass. Additional uses include respiratory devices, blood analysis, syringes, IV catheters, fluid infusion, or gas exchangers.
- In microfluidic devices, as well as clinical or lab diagnostics, self-sealing filters from Polystar ensure controlled fluid flow, prevent leaks, permit venting, and maintain sample integrity. Because they are precision products, they can be custom engineered for specific microfluidic applications.
- In cleanrooms, shutoff or end-of-life filters in hydraulic systems, pumps, compressors, power plants, and HVAC systems play critical roles in ensuring safety, preventing equipment damage, and maintaining efficient cleanroom operations.
Wherever high-purity is required, precision-molded self-sealing shutoff media from Polystar ensures superior performance and reliable operations.
Diffusion / Sparging
Diffusion in microelectronics or semiconductor manufacturing can deliver targeted gases at uniform rates. In fermentation, sparging can deliver oxygen (or microbubbles) in targeted sizes to increase Oxygen Transfer Efficiency (OTE). In fragrance delivery systems, diffusion provides measured, linear rates of release, and in industrial, aquaculture or municipal wastewater treatment applications, sparging can accelerate microbial degradation of organic matter or stimulate plant and fish growth.
Sparging – involves bubbling a gas through a liquid to remove other gases or volatile compounds.
Diffusion – is the process by which there is a net flow of matter from a region of high concentration to a region of low concentration
When an application requires sparging or controlled diffusion, open cell, sintered porous components from Polystar Technologies stimulate the measured release of either liquids or gases. Average pore size can be optimized to improve Oxygen Transfer Efficiency (OTE) rates or the diffusion of other gases. Porous microstructures from Polystar can be customized for specific applications to dictate gas volume capacities and gas transfer rates.
Capsule Diffuser
Adsorption / Selective Filtration
Adsorbent filter pellets for noxious gas removal.
One of Polystar Technologies’ specialties is helping customers remove certain chemicals from fluid flows. This can be accomplished with materials such as:
- Activated Carbon – used to clean, purify, deodorize, dechlorinate, and decolorize, AC is often employed in both liquid and vapor applications.
- Carbon Black – used to remove organic compounds, heavy metals, and other pollutants from water.
- Metal Oxides – from iron oxide to titanium dioxide and beyond, various metal oxides are used to remove target contaminants in various applications.
- Zeolites – used to remove heavy metals, lead, azo dyes, and pharmaceutical compounds from wastewater, along with other contaminants.
Using additives like these and more, Polystar partners with customers to maximize filtration efficiency and provide optimal, customized, adsorption solutions for challenging applications.
Each application Polystar Technologies undertakes can be addressed with any combination of tools in the PolySmart™ toolbox. Polystar will partner with you to develop the optimal venting, filtration, fluid delivery, diffusion or adsorption solution for your application.
Contact Us Today
To discuss your application, we are happy to help jump start your project.