Diamond-Like Carbon Coated Red Blood Cell Storage Container
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current non-PVC materials for red blood cell storage containers are insufficient in preventing hemolysis and storability, and the disposal of soft PVC containers poses environmental concerns due to dioxin production and endocrine disruption risks associated with DEHP.
Innovation Solution
A red blood cell storage container made from a plasticizer-free, non-soft PVC material with a diamond-like carbon coating and filled with a preservative and anti-hemolytic agents, including a surfactant with a high HLB value and vitamin E, to prevent morphological changes and hemolysis, while eliminating dioxin production during disposal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If soft PVC containing DEHP is used for red blood cell storage container, then hemolysis prevention is improved, but environmental harm and health risk increase due to dioxin production and endocrine disruption
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the harmful DEHP plasticizer from the soft PVC material while retaining the base polymer structure. This is achieved by using soft PVC with reduced DEHP content (0.1-5% by weight) or alternative plasticizers, thereby eliminating the source of dioxin production and endocrine disruption while maintaining the material's flexibility and hemolysis prevention properties
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs composite material structures by combining soft PVC with alternative plasticizers or plasticizer-free formulations. The composite approach integrates multiple components (polymer matrix, alternative plasticizers, or reinforcing agents) to achieve the desired mechanical properties and biocompatibility without relying on harmful DEHP, thus resolving the contradiction between effectiveness and environmental safety
2Object-affected harmful factors
If non-PVC materials are used for red blood cell storage container, then environmental disposal is improved, but hemolysis prevention and storability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical and physical parameters of the storage container material by adjusting DEHP content to specific ranges (0.1-5% by weight), modifying polymer molecular weight distributions, and controlling plasticizer composition. These parameter adjustments optimize the balance between material flexibility, hemolysis prevention, and environmental compatibility, allowing non-PVC or modified PVC materials to achieve both low dioxin production and effective red blood cell protection
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces intermediary substances such as alternative plasticizers (e.g., citrate esters, phosphate esters) or surface coating agents that mediate between the container material and red blood cells. These intermediaries provide the necessary protective function against hemolysis while being environmentally benign, thus enabling non-PVC materials to achieve both ecological safety and biological compatibility
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 solution effectively prevents hemolysis and improves storability of red blood cells, ensuring safe disposal without dioxin production, thereby addressing the limitations of existing materials.
Implementation Method 1
This is attributed to the reduced surface tension of the inner surface of the container body by forming the coating layer made of diamond-like carbon thereon
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(b)
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AI summary
Red blood cell storage container (10) includes: a container body made of a resin composition consisting of at least one of: polyolefin polymer, polyamide polymer, polyurethane polymer, polystyrene polymer, polybutadiene polymer, polyester polymer, fluoropolymer, polycarbonate polymer, polyacrylic polymer, and polysulfone polymer; and a coating part formed on an inner surface of the coating body and made of diamond-like carbon.