Plasma-Treated Polypropylene Pillars for Blood Clotting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current blood clotting substrates are expensive to produce due to the complexity and cost of incorporating naturally-derived materials or additives, and existing synthetic solutions do not effectively enhance blood clotting without additional components.
Innovation Solution
A blood clotting substrate comprising oxygen plasma-treated polypropylene pillars extending from a polypropylene film, which increases surface wettability and enhances blood clotting without the need for extraneous materials, achieved through a process involving a solvent-dissolvable mold, polypropylene film imprinting, and oxygen plasma treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If naturally-derived materials (fibrinogen, thrombin) are incorporated into hemostatic substrates, then blood clotting activity is enhanced, but production cost increases due to isolation, substrate formation, and sterilization processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive naturally-derived hemostatic materials with a disposable synthetic polypropylene foam substrate. The foam is inexpensive to manufacture, does not require complex isolation or sterilization processes, and achieves adequate hemostatic function through its physical structure and surface properties rather than through incorporation of costly natural products.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the surface properties of the polypropylene foam through plasma treatment, changing surface energy and wettability parameters. This treatment creates a surface that promotes blood clotting without requiring incorporation of expensive natural hemostatic agents, thereby reducing production costs while maintaining clotting activity.
2Reliability
If solid powder materials (zeolite crystals, chitosan) are incorporated as hemostasis enhancers, then blood clotting activity is enhanced, but production cost increases due to complicated incorporation processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for complex incorporation processes by using a pure synthetic polypropylene foam substrate without adding solid powder materials like zeolite or chitosan. The hemostatic function is achieved through the foam's inherent structure and plasma-treated surface properties, removing the complicated steps required to stably incorporate extraneous materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a homogeneous synthetic polypropylene foam material throughout the substrate, avoiding the heterogeneity introduced by incorporating multiple different solid powder materials. This simplifies the substrate preparation process while maintaining effective hemostatic function through the uniform foam structure and surface treatment.
3Loss of time
If plasma treatment is applied to polymeric blood collection tubes, then hemostasis time is reduced, but not all plasma-treated plastics demonstrate improved clotting times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes plasma treatment parameters specifically for polypropylene foam, controlling surface energy, oxygen content, and surface roughness to achieve consistent hemostatic performance. By carefully adjusting these parameters during plasma treatment, the patent ensures reliable reduction in clotting time that is not achieved with standard plasma treatment of other plastics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure combining polypropylene foam with plasma-treated surface layers, where the bulk foam provides structural support and the treated surface provides hemostatic function. This composite approach ensures consistent performance by separating the structural and functional requirements.
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 oxygen plasma-treated polypropylene pillars significantly reduce blood clotting time, demonstrating super-hydrophilicity and enhanced clotting efficiency compared to untreated surfaces, while maintaining cost-effectiveness by using a single synthetic polymer.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of oxygen plasma-treated polypropylene pillars extending from the surface of a polypropylene film
Implementation Method 2
demonstrating super-hydrophilicity and enhanced clotting efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A blood clotting substrate and device which has a plurality of oxygen plasma-treated polypropylene pillars extending from the surface of a polypropylene film.