Modified Silicone Rubber Acoustic Impedance Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current acoustic permeable materials for ultrasonic probes face challenges in achieving low acoustic attenuation, good acoustic impedance matching, and high hardness simultaneously, leading to suboptimal imaging quality and service life.
Innovation Solution
A modified silicone rubber is developed by dispersing polystyrene particles in a cured matrix formed by curing room temperature vulcanized (RTV) silicone rubber, optimizing the weight ratio and particle diameter of the polystyrene particles to enhance acoustic matching characteristics and surface hardness while maintaining low acoustic attenuation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If current acoustic permeable materials are used, then acoustic attenuation is reduced, but acoustic impedance matching and hardness are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite material system consisting of RTV silicone rubber base material combined with polystyrene particles (5-50 μm diameter) at 10-50 wt% concentration. This composite structure allows the material to simultaneously achieve low acoustic attenuation (through the silicone rubber matrix) and good acoustic impedance matching (through the polystyrene particles that adjust the overall acoustic properties of the composite).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes specific parameters including polystyrene particle diameter (5-50 μm), particle concentration (10-50 wt%), and particle morphology (spherical or irregular shapes). By carefully controlling these parameters, the material achieves optimal balance between acoustic attenuation, impedance matching, and surface hardness properties.
2Loss of energy
If current acoustic permeable materials are used, then acoustic attenuation is reduced, but hardness is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The composite structure combines soft RTV silicone rubber matrix with rigid polystyrene particles. The silicone rubber provides low acoustic attenuation while the dispersed polystyrene particles (10-50 wt%) act as reinforcement that increases surface hardness and mechanical strength without significantly increasing acoustic attenuation.
Solution Approach 2:
The polystyrene particles are distributed throughout the silicone rubber matrix, creating local regions of higher hardness. This local reinforcement approach allows the material to maintain overall softness and acoustic permeability while having sufficient surface hardness for durability and resistance to deformation.
3Reliability
If polystyrene particles are added to improve acoustic matching, then acoustic impedance matching improves, but material complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a two-component composite (silicone rubber + polystyrene particles) that achieves good acoustic impedance matching. While this is more complex than pure silicone rubber, the simplicity of the mixing process and the availability of these materials as commercial products keeps the manufacturing complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent provides specific parameter ranges (polystyrene content 10-50 wt%, particle size 5-50 μm) that optimize acoustic impedance matching. By establishing these clear parameter specifications, the patent simplifies the material formulation process and makes it easier to reproduce consistent results in manufacturing.
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 modified silicone rubber achieves improved acoustic impedance matching, reduced acoustic reflection, and increased surface hardness, resulting in enhanced imaging sensitivity and quality, as well as extended service life for ultrasonic diagnostic devices.
Implementation Method 1
a cured matrix formed by curing a room temperature vulcanized (RTV) silicone rubber
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is modified silicone rubber and a preparation method thereof, an acoustic permeable component, an ultrasonic probe, and an ultrasonic diagnostic device. The modified silicone rubber may comprise: a cured matrix formed by curing a room temperature vulcanized (RTV) silicone rubber; and polystyrene particles dispersed in the cured matrix formed by curing the RTV silicone rubber. The method for preparing the modified silicone rubber may comprise: preparing a polystyrene particle dispersion, wherein the polystyrene particle dispersion includes the polystyrene particles and a diluent; obtaining a mixture by mixing the polystyrene particle dispersion with the RTV silicone rubber, thereby dispersing the polystyrene particles in the cured matrix formed by curing the RTV silicone rubber; and obtaining the modified silicone rubber by adding a curing agent into the mixture for curing.