For labs switching suppliers
A US-Made Alternative to TASTRAK and BARYOTRAK
Much of the research-grade CR-39 (PADC) used in US labs is imported — TASTRAK from the UK, BARYOTRAK from Japan. BlankSlate Innovation makes the same polymer at home: we cast, cut, polish, and boron-coat every chip in-house in Lubbock, Texas.
Our thin grade is ~0.75 mm, the same as TASTRAK's 0.75 mm standard, and 3 mm is also standard. Prices are published, invoices are in US dollars, and there are no customs delays for US buyers. Below is a like-for-like comparison and a four-step plan for switching without losing your calibration.
Side by side
BSI CR-39 vs TASTRAK
TASTRAK details are taken from Track Analysis Systems' public product page. Where a detail isn't published there, we say so rather than guess.
| BSI CR-39 | TASTRAK | |
|---|---|---|
| Material | CR-39 / PADC (poly allyl diglycol carbonate) | PADC |
| Made in | Lubbock, Texas, USA — cast in-house | Bristol, UK |
| Standard thicknesses | ~0.75 mm and 3 mm; others as custom orders | 0.75, 1.0 and 1.5 mm; thinner specialist grades |
| Published pricing | Yes — $2/cm2 standard, $5/cm2 boron-coated | Not published; quote on request |
| For US buyers | Domestic shipment, USD invoice, PO / card / wire / PayPal | International shipment from the UK |
| Neutron converter coating | In-house boron nitride coating (peer-reviewed) | Not listed on the product page |
| Reading exposed detectors | Ship-back SEM large-area mapping + AI analysis — no equipment to buy | TASLImage automated optical reader (purchased system) |
Using BARYOTRAK, made in Japan by Fukuvi Chemical Industry? The same comparison mostly holds: BSI is a domestic source with published prices and a ~0.75 mm thin grade. Your calibration plan is the same as below.
Why a domestic source
What Changes When Your Supplier Is in Texas
Days, Not Weeks
Standard orders ship in as little as 3 business days, with no customs hold. Large orders take up to 4 weeks.
Simple Procurement
A US vendor with published prices and USD invoices. We accept purchase orders from universities, government agencies, and commercial labs.
Cut to Your Fixture
Laser-cut rectangles, discs, and custom shapes to fit your holders, plus full sheets of roughly 26 × 26 cm if you prefer to cut your own.
The Makers on the Phone
The team that casts the plastic also etches, images, and analyzes it, so questions about your exposures go straight to the people who can answer them.
Switching plan
Switch Suppliers Without Losing Your Calibration
PADC from different manufacturers is the same polymer, but formulation and cure cycle can shift bulk etch rate and track response slightly. Verify on your own setup once, then run as normal.
01
Match Thickness
Using 0.75 mm now? Ours is a direct match. On 1.0 or 1.5 mm? For alpha particles and low-MeV protons the tracks form in the top tens of microns, so ~0.75 or 3 mm usually works. Custom thicknesses are available.
02
Keep Your Etch
Run your usual etch (our reference is 6.25 M NaOH at 80 °C) on a blank chip and measure bulk material removed, so you know whether to adjust etch time.
03
Run a Calibration Exposure
Expose a few chips from your first BSI lot to your reference source alongside your current detectors, then compare track density and diameter distributions.
04
Reserve a Lot
For long campaigns, ask us to hold material from a single cast lot, so the calibration you just did stays valid for the whole run.
Handling, storage, etching, and imaging details are in the CR-39 best-practice guide. If you'd rather not re-establish your readout at all, send exposed chips to us for SEM + AI analysis.
Questions buyers ask
Switching FAQ
Is BSI CR-39 a drop-in replacement for TASTRAK?
It is the same polymer, poly(allyl diglycol carbonate), also called PADC. Our thin grade is approximately 0.75 mm, which matches TASTRAK's 0.75 mm standard, and 3 mm is also standard. Different manufacturers' formulations and cure cycles can etch at slightly different rates, so as with any change of supplier, run a calibration exposure on your first lot before switching production work.
Can BSI make 1.0 mm or 1.5 mm CR-39?
Yes, as a custom order, which costs more and takes longer. For alpha particles and low-MeV protons the tracks you read form in the top tens of microns, so thickness mainly affects handling, stacking, and how much material a long etch removes. Most users find ~0.75 mm or 3 mm works.
Where is BSI CR-39 made?
Entirely in-house in Lubbock, Texas, USA. We cast, cut, polish and, when required, boron-coat every chip.
How much does BSI CR-39 cost?
Standard CR-39 is $2/cm2 and boron-coated CR-39 is $5/cm2, with a $100 minimum order and bulk discounts above 100 chips. Orders ship in as little as 3 business days; large orders can take up to 4 weeks. Ordering from outside the US? See international ordering.
Is BSI affiliated with Track Analysis Systems or Fukuvi?
No. TASTRAK is a trademark of Track Analysis Systems Ltd and BARYOTRAK is a product of Fukuvi Chemical Industry. They are named here only so buyers can identify what they are comparing. BSI is an independent US manufacturer.
Get started
Start With a Calibration Lot
Tell us what you use now (supplier, thickness, chip size) and what you detect. We'll quote a first lot sized for your calibration exposure, and can hold material from the same cast lot for your production run.
Related: neutron-sensitized CR-39 · automated track analysis · international ordering
TASTRAK and TASLImage are trademarks of Track Analysis Systems Ltd. BARYOTRAK is a product of Fukuvi Chemical Industry. BlankSlate Innovation is not affiliated with either company; product names are used only for identification.