Biodegradable Polymer Laminate for Antiadhesive Medical Applications

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current antiadhesive materials, such as those using gelatin, collagen, polysaccharides, and hyaluronic acid, face challenges including antigenicity, infectious disease risks, low mechanical strength, and difficulty in maintaining adhesion prevention during tissue recovery, especially in high-pressure body fluid environments.

Innovation Solution

A polymer laminate with 2-100 biodegradable resin layers, each 10 nm to 400 nm thick, where the outermost layers are joined at pinpoint junctions, incorporating a polylactic acid-based resin, polysaccharides like alginate, and containing hydrophobic or water-soluble chemicals and particles for enhanced mechanical strength and adherence.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If non-absorbent materials such as silicone, Teflon, polyurethane, or oxycellulose are used as adhesion preventive membranes, then adhesion prevention is achieved, but tissue repair is delayed and infection/inflammation risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesion preventionVSAvoidtissue repair time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the fundamental parameter of material absorbability from non-absorbent to biodegradable/absorbent. The biodegradable polymer membrane is designed to be temporarily present during the critical adhesion prevention period and then naturally degrade and absorb into the tissue, eliminating the need for removal and enabling timely tissue repair without prolonged foreign body presence

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies the disposable principle by using a biodegradable membrane that serves its adhesion prevention function temporarily and then degrades naturally in the body. This short-lived material replaces permanent non-absorbent membranes, eliminating long-term complications while maintaining effective adhesion prevention during the critical postoperative period

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Stability of the object's composition

If gelatin or collagen is used as antiadhesive material, then bioabsorbability is achieved, but antigenicity and infectious disease risks remain

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovebioabsorbabilityVSAvoidantigenicity and infectious disease risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite materials by combining biodegradable polymers (such as polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, or their copolymers) with functional additives. This composite approach achieves bioabsorbability while eliminating the antigenicity and infectious disease risks associated with natural proteins like gelatin and collagen, as synthetic polymers do not carry these biological hazards

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces natural protein-based materials with synthetic biodegradable polymers that serve the same temporary function but without the associated biological risks. These synthetic materials provide controlled degradation without antigenicity or infectious disease transmission risks

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If polysaccharides or hyaluronic acid are used as antiadhesive material, then infectious disease risk is reduced, but mechanical strength is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinfectious disease riskVSAvoidmechanical strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates composite materials by formulating biodegradable polymers with specific mechanical properties. Through controlled polymer selection, molecular weight adjustment, and composition optimization, the membrane achieves sufficient mechanical strength to maintain structural integrity in high-pressure body fluid environments while retaining bioabsorbability and low infectious disease risk

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the material parameters by selecting synthetic biodegradable polymers with tunable mechanical properties. By adjusting polymer composition, crystallinity, molecular weight, and crosslinking density, the membrane achieves the required mechanical strength without compromising bioabsorbability or increasing infectious disease risk

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Strength

If multiple layers are laminated to improve mechanical strength, then strength increases, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemechanical strengthVSAvoidlayered structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the membrane into multiple functional layers, each with specific thickness and composition optimized for particular functions. This segmented structure achieves enhanced mechanical strength and controlled degradation while maintaining manufacturability through standardized lamination processes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges multiple functional requirements into a single integrated multilayer structure. By combining adhesion prevention, mechanical strength, bioabsorbability, and controlled degradation functions into one laminated membrane system, the design achieves multiple benefits without proportionally increasing manufacturing complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The laminate provides high mechanical strength, flexibility, and close adherence to tissues, maintaining effectiveness during tissue recovery without causing complications, and can be used for wound dressings and drug delivery systems.

Implementation Method 1

wherein 2-100 layers each containing a biodegradable resin and having a thickness in a range of 10 nm to 400 nm are laminated... the outermost layers are joined to each other by joint portions

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Implementation Method 2

2-100 layers each containing a biodegradable resin and having a thickness in a range of 10 nm to 400 nm are laminated

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPolymer structure:

Implementation Method 3

The laminate provides high mechanical strength, flexibility, and close adherence to tissues

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSurface adhesion: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentEP3135315B1Polymer laminate
Publication Date: 2020.12.16 TORAY INDUSTRIES INC
  • EP3135315B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4
  • EP3135315B1 patent drawingFigure 5~8
  • EP3135315B1 patent drawingFigure 9

AI summary

The present invention provides a polymer laminate in which 2-100 layers each containing a biodegradable resin and having a thickness of 10 nm-400 nm are laminated, the thickness of at least one of the outermost layers is 10 nm-180 nm, and the outermost layers are joined to each other. By the present invention, a polymer laminate excellent in biocompatibility and mechanical strength and suitable to medical applications such as wound dressings and antiadhesive materials can be obtained.