Nylon Membranes for Fuel Testing

One of the more intriguing applications for our nylon membranes is in fuel testing, where nylon is the preferred media for the testing methods described by ASTM standards D6217 and D5304. ASTM D6217 governs particulate contamination testing by laboratory filtration of middle distillate fuels. Fuel samples are vacuum filtered past Nylon membrane filters (0.8 micron) and the particulate contamination level is determined by weighing the membranes. ASTM D5304 sets a standard test method for assessing the storage stability by oxygen overpressure of middle distillate fuels. It was based on a test method developed by the U.S. Navy and is often used for their applications. D5304 has become more popular in recent years as the Navy and other organizations are using this method to help determine the storage stability of biofuels. Here this is accomplished by filtering the fuel through nylon membranes (again, 0.8 micron) in conjunction with a pressure filtration vessel. One of the biggest advantages of this testing method is that it allows for rapid fuel testing without requiring any additional stabilizing chemicals that could affect the integrity of the results. For more information on fuel testing, we recommend “Fuels and Lubricants Handbook: Technology, Properties, Performance, and Testing” by George E. Totten, Steven R. Westbrook, and Rajesh J. Shah. Browse the complete ASTM D6217 and D5304 standards