Hemocompatible Material Dehydration Using Polyethylene Glycol
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for creating hemocompatible materials, such as those combining synthetic and biological tissues, face challenges with lyophilization being time-consuming, costly, and prone to tissue damage, leading to instability and high waste, especially when dehydrating animal biological tissues for integration with synthetic substrates.
Innovation Solution
Dehydration of animal biological tissues using a 80% weight solution of polyethylene glycol allows for rapid dehydration without structural alteration, enabling stable storage and rehydration, and facilitating integration with synthetic substrates without the need for lyophilization, while maintaining biocompatibility and environmental safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If lyophilization is used to dehydrate animal biological tissue, then the tridimensional structure is preserved, but the process is time-consuming, costly, and requires specific infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the dehydration process by using liquid carbon dioxide at controlled temperature and pressure conditions. Instead of the traditional lyophilization process requiring freezing and vacuum sublimation, this method uses supercritical or near-critical CO2 which acts as a drying agent that penetrates the tissue and removes water without requiring extreme temperature or vacuum conditions, thus reducing processing time and infrastructure requirements while preserving structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical vacuum system required for lyophilization with a chemical/physical system using liquid carbon dioxide. The CO2 liquid phase can penetrate the tissue structure and facilitate water removal through diffusion and phase change within the tissue pores, eliminating the need for complex vacuum pumping systems and freezing apparatus while achieving similar structural preservation
2Stability of the object's composition
If lyophilization is used to dehydrate animal biological tissue, then dehydration is achieved, but the procedure is delicate and accompanied by high waste due to difficulty in mastering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs liquid carbon dioxide which automatically self-regulates its penetration and dehydration action within the tissue. The CO2 liquid naturally diffuses into the tissue structure and facilitates water removal through its solvating properties and phase change behavior, eliminating the need for delicate manual control of vacuum and temperature parameters that characterizes traditional lyophilization, thereby reducing operator error and tissue waste
3Stability of the object's composition
If animal biological tissue is dehydrated completely by lyophilization, then dehydration is achieved, but the tissue is irremediably damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses liquid carbon dioxide which provides partial dehydration action that is sufficient for the intended application. The CO2 liquid removes enough water to achieve the desired dehydration level for tissue integration without proceeding to complete dehydration that would cause tissue damage. The process can be controlled by adjusting the amount and duration of CO2 exposure, allowing optimal balance between dehydration effectiveness and tissue preservation
4Stability of the object's composition
If lyophilization is used for dehydration, then the process is effective, but it requires vacuum storage and complex transport conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs liquid carbon dioxide as a temporary, disposable drying agent that performs its function and then evaporates or can be easily removed. The CO2 leaves no residual infrastructure requirements for storage or transport of the dehydrated tissue, unlike lyophilization which requires permanent vacuum systems. The tissue can be stored and transported under normal atmospheric conditions after CO2 dehydration, eliminating complex vacuum storage infrastructure
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
This method enables quick and efficient dehydration of animal biological tissues, ensuring stable integration with synthetic substrates, reducing waste, and allowing for ambient storage and rehydration without tissue damage, thus improving the production and handling of hemocompatible composite materials.
Implementation Method 1
dehydration is only obtained by a chemical way through the immersion of said animal biological tissue in a bath made of a solution of polyethylene glycol at at least 80% in weight
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a hemocompatible material comprising a synthetic substrate and animal biological tissue, according to which said animal biological tissue is dehydrated and adhered to said synthetic substrate by means of a dispersion of the material forming said synthetic substrate. According to the invention, the animal biological tissue is only dehydrated chemically by immersing said animal biological tissue in a bath consisting of a solution containing at least 80 wt % of polyethylene glycol.