Microstructured Medical Surfaces Without Coatings for Stable Repellency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical devices that come into contact with liquids, fluids, or oils often rely on coatings that can detach, leading to contamination and infection, necessitating a need for surfaces that are superhydrophobic and/or superoleophobic without coatings using the same base material as the device.

Innovation Solution

Medical devices are modified to incorporate micrometer- or nanometer-sized structures or patterns made from the base material, such as pillars or hierarchical asperities, using subtractive processes like lithography and etching to achieve superhydrophobic and/or superoleophobic properties.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If coatings are applied to achieve superhydrophobic and superoleophobic properties, then the surface properties are improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to coating detachment and contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface property stabilityVSAvoidcontamination and infection risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the coating layer entirely and achieves superhydrophobic and superoleophobic properties through the base material's own micro- and nanostructures. By extracting the coating component and relying solely on the substrate material with engineered surface topography, the patent eliminates the source of coating detachment and contamination while maintaining the desired surface properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses the same base material for both the device structure and the surface modification, creating a homogeneous composition. This eliminates the interface between different materials (coating and substrate) that would otherwise be prone to delamination and contamination, ensuring uniform properties throughout the surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #33Homogeneity

2Reliability

If microstructures and nanostructures are created using subtractive processes, then the superhydrophobic and superoleophobic properties are achieved, but the manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurface property stabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces complex multi-layer coating systems with a single-material approach using subtractive manufacturing processes. By substituting the mechanical application of coatings with direct structural modification through lithography and etching, the patent achieves reliable surface properties while consolidating the material system, even though the manufacturing process becomes more specialized.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 durable, contamination-free surfaces that maintain device integrity and reduce the risk of infection by ensuring the same material is used throughout, enhancing hydrophobic and oleophobic properties for improved performance.

Implementation Method 1

air is trapped between the liquid and the substrate, causing the value of the contact angle to be greater than 90 degrees

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAir trapping:

Implementation Method 2

surfaces with microscopic roughness tend to be hydrophobic

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrophobicity: Hydrophobe

Implementation Method 3

surfaces with a contact angle of less than 10 degrees are called superhydrophilic, while surfaces with a contact angle between 150 degrees and 180 degrees are considered superhydrophobic

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSuperhydrophobicity: Superhydrophilicity

Implementation Method 4

The primary parameter that characterizes wetting is the static contact angle

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWetting: Wetting

Data Source

PatentUS12605490B2Medical devices and instruments with non-coated superhydrophobic or superoleophobic surfaces

Publication Date: 2026.04.21 HASSAN TAREK

AI summary

Device surfaces are rendered superhydrophobic and/or superoleophobic through microstructures and/or nanostructures that utilize the same base material(s) as the device itself without the need for coatings made from different materials or substances. A medical device includes a portion made from a base material having a surface adapted for contact with biological material, and wherein the surface is modified to become superhydrophobic, superoleophobic, or both, using only the base material, excluding non-material coatings. The surface may be modified using a subtractive process, an additive process, or a combination thereof. The product of the process may form part of an implantable device or a medical instrument, including a medical device or instrument associated with an intraocular procedure. The surface may be modified to include micrometer- or nanometer-sized pillars, posts, pits or cavitations; hierarchical structures having asperities; or posts/pillars with caps having dimensions greater than the diameters of the posts or pillars.