Lubrication Layer Mesh Structure for Catheter Durability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical devices such as catheters and guidewires face challenges in achieving both excellent lubricity and durability, particularly when navigating complex and narrow lesions in vivo, as existing coatings trade off between these two properties.
Innovation Solution
A medical device with a lubrication layer containing a block copolymer composed of a reactive monomer with an epoxy group and a hydrophilic monomer, combined with a polymer of hydrophilic monomer, at a specific mixing ratio, which forms a mesh structure upon crosslinking, enhancing both lubricity and durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a coating of hydrophilic polymer is formed on the base layer surface to improve lubricity, then the device operability is improved, but the coating separates from the base layer under friction loads, reducing durability
Solution Approach 1:
The coating is segmented into two functional components: block copolymer (A) with epoxy groups that forms a crosslinked mesh structure for durability, and homopolymer (B) that provides lubricity. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in one function while working together to resolve the contradiction between lubricity and durability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite material system consisting of block copolymer (A) and homopolymer (B) in specific weight ratios (20-80% A, 80-20% B). The block copolymer forms a crosslinked mesh structure that anchors to the base layer for durability, while the homopolymer fills the mesh to provide lubricity, achieving both improved operability and reliability simultaneously
2Reliability
If the hydrophilic polymer coating is made harder to separate from the base layer, then durability is improved, but lubricity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the coating have different properties: the block copolymer (A) forms a crosslinked mesh structure close to the base layer that provides durability and anchoring, while the homopolymer (B) is distributed throughout the coating structure providing lubricity. This local quality differentiation allows the coating to exhibit both durability and lubricity simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The composite material system combines block copolymer (A) with epoxy groups that crosslink to form a durable mesh structure, and homopolymer (B) that provides lubricity. The specific weight ratio range (20-80% A, 80-20% B) optimizes the balance between the durability-providing crosslinked structure and the lubricity-providing homopolymer, resolving the contradiction between durability and lubricity
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 provides a medical device with improved surface lubricity and durability, maintaining high lubricity over time and preventing coating separation from the base layer, even under friction, thus supporting advanced medical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
the block copolymer (A) is crosslinked or polymerized to form a mesh structure
Implementation Method 2
a coating of a hydrophilic polymer having lubricity on a surface of a base layer
Implementation Method 3
a block copolymer having a hydrophilic portion that exhibits lubricity
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention provides a medical device including a coating layer (lubrication layer) that exhibits excellent lubricity and durability. The medical device of the present invention includes a base layer, and a lubrication layer supported on at least a part of the base layer, wherein the lubrication layer contains a block copolymer (A) composed of a constituting unit derived from a reactive monomer that has an epoxy group and a constituting unit derived from at least one hydrophilic monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylamide and an acrylamide derivative, and a polymer (B) composed of a constituting unit derived from at least one hydrophilic monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylamide and an acrylamide derivative, wherein the block copolymer (A) is contained in a proportion of 20 to 80% by weight relative to the total weight of the block copolymer (A) and the polymer (B), and wherein the block copolymer (A) is crosslinked or polymerized to form a mesh structure.