Track-Etched Membranes: Engineering Performance from Concept to Production

This is the third installment of Porex’s material engineering performance from concept to production series, focusing on TEM – track-etched membranes.

Date: Thursday, September 24, 2026

Event Summary

When an application requires precise filtration, controlled airflow, or reliable protection from liquid intrusion, small differences in membrane structure can significantly affect performance. 

Track-etched membranes provide precise, independent control over pore size and pore density—helping engineers achieve consistent airflow, controlled flow rates, reliable filtration performance, and consistent water entry pressure. Their uniformly distributed cylindrical pores and smooth surface also enable highly controlled surface filtration. 

In this webinar, we’ll explore how controlled irradiation and etching create the distinctive pore structure of track-etched membranes. We’ll also examine how membrane material, thickness, pore geometry, surface treatment, support structure, and integration method can be tailored to specific application requirements. 

We’ll discuss the engineering trade-offs among airflow, water entry pressure, filtration performance, chemical compatibility, and mechanical robustness. We’ll also cover hydrophilic and hydrophobic/oleophobic treatments, lamination options, and the latest progress in PFAS-free development.

Application examples will demonstrate how Porex Oxyphen® track-etched membranes can be integrated into scalable solutions for device protection across automotive, medical, life science, electronics, and industrial markets.

What You’ll Learn 

• How irradiation and etching create controlled pore structures and performance
• How pore size across the 0.1–10 µm range, pore density, and membrane thickness influence airflow, water entry pressure and filtration performance
• The key differences between surface filtration and depth filtration 
• How hydrophilic and hydrophobic/oleophobic treatments tailor membrane performance 
• How lamination and integration methods improve handling, robustness, and manufacturability 
• How material selection and chemical compatibility, including evaluation against ISO 16750-5, affect performance in demanding operating environments 
• The latest status of PFAS-free TEM development 
• Where track-etched membranes provide the greatest value—and when another membrane technology may be a better fit

Who Should Attend 

Speakers:

Vassili Alfimov; Head of Development Automotive & Industrial and Ion Beam Technology

Dr. Vassili Alfimov serves as Head of Development Automotive + Industrial and Ion Beam Technology at Oxyphen, a Porex company within Filtration Group. He holds a PhD in accelerator-based mass spectrometry and a MAS in Business Administration. Over the past 15 years, Vassili has worked extensively with irradiation technology and track-etched membranes, leading the development of new membrane products, PFAS-free technologies, production facilities, research infrastructure, and measurement methods. Combining expertise in R&D, engineering, and manufacturing, he supports the development of advanced membrane solutions for automotive and industrial applications.

Roy Andersen;

Head of Sales & Business Development, Americas

Roy has over 16 years of service at Porex and its Oxyphen brand, including engineering and strategic sales roles. He has extensive experience in developing custom membrane and venting solutions, from initial concept ideation through commercialization. His current focus is leading the growth of membrane solutions across North America’s automotive and consumer markets.