A method for improving the adhesion of silk screen ink on a medical device cartridge

Abstract

The application provides a method for improving the adhesion of silk screen printing ink on a medical instrument box, and relates to the technical field of medical instruments.The method comprises the following steps: S1: immersing a medical instrument box printed with silk screen printing ink in an alkaline solution at 50-60 DEG C, performing softening treatment on the silk screen printing ink, and obtaining a medical instrument box immersed in an alkaline solution; S2: performing steam treatment on the medical instrument box immersed in an alkaline solution, performing solidification on the softened silk screen printing ink through the steam treatment, and obtaining a medical instrument box with improved adhesion of silk screen printing ink. The method for improving the adhesion of silk screen printing ink on a medical instrument box provided by the application sequentially performs alkaline solution immersion and steam treatment, so that the silk screen printing ink is softened and then solidified again, thereby improving the adhesion of the silk screen printing ink, and even if the medical instrument box is cleaned or immersed in an alkaline solution multiple times subsequently, the silk screen printing ink will not soften and fall off.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical device technology, and in particular to a method for improving the adhesion of screen printing ink on medical device boxes. Background Technology

[0002] To facilitate the classification and management of medical device boxes, it is usually necessary to print corresponding patterns and text on them. Currently, these patterns and text are typically printed on the medical device boxes using screen printing ink. To prevent infection, medical device boxes need to be sterilized before use by end customers. Currently, alkaline solution cleaning or soaking is often used to sterilize medical device boxes. However, this sterilization method reduces the adhesion of the screen-printed patterns, and in severe cases, it can even cause the screen printing ink to peel off, leading to risks such as medical accidents. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by this invention is: to address the issue that screen-printed ink on medical device boxes is prone to peeling off after sterilization in the prior art, this invention provides a method to improve the adhesion of screen-printed ink. This method improves the adhesion of screen-printed ink by sequentially immersing the medical device box printed with screen-printed ink in an alkaline solution and then steam-treating it, thereby reducing the risk of screen-printed ink peeling off after sterilization and solving the problem that screen-printed ink on medical device boxes is prone to peeling off after sterilization in the prior art.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by this invention to solve its technical problem is:

[0005] A method for improving the adhesion of screen-printed inks on medical device boxes includes the following steps:

[0006] S1: Immerse the medical device box printed with screen printing ink in an alkaline solution at 50-60℃ to soften the screen printing ink, and obtain the medical device box after alkali immersion.

[0007] S2: The medical device box soaked in the alkaline solution is subjected to steam treatment to cure the softened screen printing ink, thereby obtaining a medical device box with improved screen printing ink adhesion.

[0008] Optionally, the alkaline solution includes a solution prepared using sodium hydroxide, nitrilotriacetic acid, medical active enzymes, surfactants, and alcohols as raw materials.

[0009] Optionally, the pH of the alkaline solution is 9.5-10.

[0010] Optionally, the soaking time in step S1 is 10-20 minutes.

[0011] Optionally, the steam treatment temperature is 130-140℃ and the pressure is 200-210kPa.

[0012] Optionally, the steam treatment time is 1500-2000s.

[0013] Optionally, the medical device box is made of metal.

[0014] Optionally, the screen printing ink is a thermosetting oil-based ink.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0016] The method for improving the adhesion of screen-printed ink on medical device boxes provided by the present invention involves sequentially soaking in an alkaline solution and steam treatment, which softens the screen-printed ink and then solidifies it again, thereby improving the adhesion of the screen-printed ink. This ensures that even if the screen-printed ink is washed or soaked in an alkaline solution multiple times, it will not soften or peel off, reducing the risk of screen-printed ink peeling off after sterilization. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0018] Figure 1 These are the silkscreen patterns and test images of the test samples in this invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is the test interval and trend chart of group A (T0-T3) in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 This is the test interval and trend chart of group B (T0-T3) in this embodiment of the invention. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The present invention will now be described in further detail. The embodiments described below are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] To address the problem that screen printing ink on medical device boxes easily peels off after sterilization, this invention provides a method for improving the adhesion of screen printing ink on medical device boxes, the method comprising the following steps:

[0023] S1: Immerse the medical device box printed with screen printing ink in an alkaline solution at 50-60℃ to soften the screen printing ink, and obtain the medical device box after alkali soaking.

[0024] S2: The medical device box soaked in alkaline solution is steam-treated to cure the softened screen printing ink, resulting in a medical device box with improved screen printing ink adhesion.

[0025] When a medical device box is immersed in an alkaline solution, the screen printing ink on it reacts with the solution. The surfactants in the alkaline solution cause the ink to harden, resulting in a loose and damaged appearance. Close observation reveals slight pitting on the screen-printed pattern. If the ink is not subjected to S2 steam treatment at this stage, the printed pattern is highly susceptible to damage and may even peel off in large pieces after use. Further steam treatment of the alkaline-immersed medical device box causes a second cross-linking reaction between the ink particles, a process known as secondary curing. Since the ink was initially loose after immersion in the alkaline solution, this reduces stress during secondary curing. After steam treatment, the ink hardness significantly increases, and the adhesion improves beyond the initial state. Simultaneously, with the help of steam, the gloss of the ink pattern recovers, becoming essentially identical to the initial state.

[0026] The method for improving the adhesion of screen-printed ink on medical device boxes provided by the present invention involves sequentially soaking in an alkaline solution and steam treatment, which softens the screen-printed ink and then solidifies it again, thereby improving the adhesion of the screen-printed ink. This ensures that even after repeated washing or soaking in an alkaline solution, the screen-printed ink will not soften or peel off.

[0027] The method for improving the adhesion of screen-printed ink on medical device boxes provided by this invention can be performed before the medical device boxes leave the factory or before the first use after purchase. Since the alkaline solution soaking and steam treatment in this method have a certain sterilization effect, the method provided by this invention can improve the adhesion of screen-printed ink on medical device boxes, while also improving the sterilization effect and reducing the risk of screen-printed ink peeling off after sterilization.

[0028] The alkaline solution in step S1 can be a solution prepared with commonly used alkaline substances; preferably, the alkaline solution of the present invention includes a solution prepared with sodium hydroxide, nitrilotriacetic acid, medical active enzyme, surfactant and alcohol as raw materials; in order to improve the adhesion of screen printing ink on the medical device box while ensuring the sterilization effect, the alkaline solution of the present invention preferably includes a solution prepared with sterile medical alkaline cleaning agent as base liquid; specifically, the alkaline solution of the present invention preferably uses sterile medical alkaline cleaning agent DR.W MEDLICLEAN FORTE as base liquid, and further preferably has a solution volume concentration of 1% (ratio 10ml / L).

[0029] To balance the adhesion of screen printing ink and the sterilization effect, the present invention preferably uses an alkaline solution with a pH of 9.5-10, and more preferably a pH of 9.5.

[0030] To ensure that the screen printing ink is fully softened and to prevent the ink from falling off during the soaking process, the soaking time in step S1 of this invention is preferably 10-20 minutes.

[0031] To ensure the curing effect of the screen printing ink, the present invention preferably uses a steam treatment temperature of 130-140℃ and a pressure of 200-210kPa, and more preferably a temperature of 134℃ and a pressure of 210kPa.

[0032] Specifically, the present invention preferably uses a high-temperature steam chamber to steam treat the medical device box; on the one hand, to ensure the effect of steam treatment, and on the other hand, to ensure the efficiency of steam treatment, the present invention preferably uses a steam treatment time of 1500-2000s.

[0033] The method for improving the adhesion of screen printing ink on medical device boxes provided by this invention can be applied to medical device boxes of any material and screen printing ink of any type. Preferably, the material of the medical device box is metal. Specifically, the preferred material of the medical device box is 5052H32 + oxidation treatment (oxidation type: MIL-8625TYPE II CLASS1 / 2). The preferred screen printing ink is a thermosetting oil-based ink, and more preferably, the screen printing ink is Dolby PL 03BLACK or Lissex ADE Black (Note: heat drying temperature: 140℃, time: 30min).

[0034] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to experiments and experimental data.

[0035] Experimental materials

[0036] Screen printing ink: Liseda ADE black oil-based thermosetting ink is selected.

[0037] The printed material is made of 5052 H32 AL, 2.0mm thick, and anodized (refer to MIL-8625 TYPE II CLASS 1 / 2).

[0038] silkscreen patterns such as Figure 1 As shown.

[0039] Experimental Groups

[0040] Make 80 sample films and divide them into two groups.

[0041] Test group (A): A group consisting of 40 pieces of printed material screen-printed according to the standard process and then processed according to the scheme mentioned in this invention - that is, processed through steps S1 and S2.

[0042] Control group (B): The group consisted of 40 pieces of printed material screen-printed according to the standard process, without any other treatment afterwards.

[0043] The sample processing method provided by this invention includes the following steps:

[0044] S1: DR.W MEDLICLEAN FORTE, a sterile medical alkaline cleaning agent, was selected as the base solution to prepare an alkaline solution with a volume concentration of 1% and a pH of 9.8. Forty test samples were immersed in the alkaline solution for 20 minutes at 60℃ to obtain the alkaline-soaked test samples. The alkaline-soaked test samples were then cleaned and allowed to air dry for 12 hours. Observation of the alkaline-soaked test samples revealed pitting on the surface of the screen-printed pattern, and the hardness of the screen-printed ink decreased, resulting in a soft and easily damaged appearance.

[0045] S2: Insert the test samples soaked in alkali solution into the basket one by one, ensuring that the ink is not damaged during placement; then place the test samples soaked in alkali solution into the steam box and select the parameters shown in Table 1 for steam treatment;

[0046] Table 1

[0047] temperature High greenhouse pressure Processing time 134℃ 210KPA 1800S

[0048] The test samples after steam treatment were left to stand for 12 hours. After high-temperature steam treatment, the screen printing ink on the test samples regained its hardness, improved its wear resistance, and the corrosion pits on the pattern surface healed, and the pattern gloss returned to its original state.

[0049] During the testing process, each set of test samples was numbered; after the test, each test sample underwent a 100-grid cross-cut test according to ASTM D3359; among them, six grades were assigned according to ASTM standards, from 0B to 5B, with 0B being the worst and 5B the best. For statistical convenience, the suffix B is omitted in the table below. See the silkscreen patterns for both types of test samples. Figure 1 As shown, the pattern contains eight 12*12mm squares. To reduce random errors caused by uncertainties, under each test condition (e.g., standard conditions, after soaking in alkaline solution), two patterns are selected as the test objects for the 100-square test. The test results of each pattern are recorded, and the average of the two sets of patterns is taken as the conclusion value of the test.

[0050] The following is the experimental procedure:

[0051] T0:

[0052] The adhesion of the two sets of samples was tested one by one according to the ASTM D3359 standard method, and the test data was recorded in column T0 (initial test data) of Appendix 2.

[0053] T1:

[0054] Two sets of samples were immersed in medical cleaning solution for 10 minutes, rinsed with pure water, and then air-dried. Four hours later, the samples were subjected to a cross-cut adhesion test according to the ASTM D3359 standard method. The medical cleaning solution consisted of: DR.W MEDLIICLEAN FORTE (considering the sterilization conditions in the European and American markets, the commonly used sterile medical alkaline cleaning agent DR.W MEDLIICLEANFORTE was selected as the base solution for this sterilization); pH value of the cleaning solution was 9.8; and the temperature of the cleaning solution was 60℃. Test data are recorded in column T1 of Table 2 (test data after one immersion).

[0055] T2:

[0056] The two sets of test pieces were immersed in the cleaning solution for a second time for 10 minutes, with the cleaning solution conditions set as in T1. After immersion, they were cleaned thoroughly and air-dried naturally. Four hours later, the two sets of test pieces were subjected to the 100-cross cross-cut adhesion test according to the ASTM D3359 standard method. The test data are recorded in column T2 of Table 2 (test data after the second immersion).

[0057] T3:

[0058] The two sets of test pieces were immersed in the cleaning solution for a third time for 10 minutes, with the cleaning solution conditions set as in T1. After immersion, they were cleaned thoroughly and air-dried naturally. Four hours later, the two sets of test pieces were subjected to the 100-cross cross-cut adhesion test according to the ASTM D3359 standard method. The test data are recorded in column T3 of Table 2 (test data after three immersions).

[0059] Table 2

[0060]

[0061]

[0062] The above values ​​are attribute data and are discrete data. Therefore, the chi-square test (a method for testing the independence of contingency tables) was used. The data in the attached table are organized and statistically analyzed as follows:

[0063] Note: Considering the validity of the chi-square test (the expected frequency of each cell is generally not less than 5), the data in Appendix 2 are summarized into two groups, A and B, each with 160 data points. The results of the statistical analysis according to "≤4B, >4B and <5B and 5B" are shown in Table 3 below:

[0064] Table 3

[0065] project Test group (A) Control group (B) Pearson p-value Adhesion rating (ASTM) (n＝40) (n＝40) Statistic 5B 69(43.1) 17(10.6％) 123.651 0.000 >4B<5B 72(45.0％) 26(16.2％) ≤4B 19(11.8％) 117(73.1％)

[0066] When the initial state was calculated using MINITAB, the P-value was 0.00. Therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected. It was concluded that there was a significant difference between the test group (A) and the control group (B), with the test group (A) performing much better than the control group (B). This proves that the adhesion of the screen printing ink is improved after treatment using the method provided by this invention.

[0067] Plot the intervals for the four tests in groups A and B respectively. See Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown in the interval variation graph, it can be seen that the adhesion change trend of group A after multiple immersions in alkaline solution is smaller than that of group B, and the overall value is higher than that of group A (Note: the same conclusion was obtained when using other brands of the same type of ink (Dolby PL series)).

[0068] In summary, it is believed that the adhesion performance of screen printing inks treated according to the present invention is higher than that of untreated parts, both in the initial state and after immersion in alkaline solution. Furthermore, compared with untreated samples, the samples treated with the present invention show a significantly reduced probability of decreased screen printing ink adhesion after immersion in alkaline solution. In particular, after multiple immersions in alkaline solution, the adhesion of screen printing inks on untreated samples shows a significant decrease, while the adhesion of screen printing inks on samples treated with the present invention shows little change. This demonstrates that the method provided by the present invention significantly reduces the risk of screen printing ink peeling off after sterilization in alkaline solution.

[0069] Based on the above-described preferred embodiments of the present invention, and through the foregoing description, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the inventive concept. The technical scope of this invention is not limited to the contents of the specification, but must be determined according to the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method of improving the adhesion of a silk screen ink on a medical device carton, comprising: The method comprises the following steps: S1: soaking the medical instrument box printed with silk screen ink in an alkaline solution at 50-60 DEG C to soften the silk screen ink, and obtaining a medical instrument box soaked in an alkaline solution; S2: steam treating the medical instrument box soaked in an alkaline solution to solidify the softened silk screen ink, and obtaining a medical instrument box with improved silk screen ink adhesion; The alkaline solution comprises a solution prepared from sodium hydroxide, nitrilotriacetic acid, medical active enzyme, surfactant and alcohol; The pH of the alkaline solution is 9.5-10; The soaking time in step S1 is 10-20 min; The steam treatment is at a temperature of 130-140 DEG C and a pressure of 200-210 kPa; The steam treatment time is 1500-2000 s; The medical instrument box is made of 5052H32 and is subjected to oxidation treatment; The silk screen ink is a thermosetting oil-based ink.

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