Patterson L.
SilcoTek Corporation, US
Keywords: coating, corrosion resistance, hydrophobicity, non-stick, protein adsorption
The desire to enhance the surface properties of base materials is especially prevalent in life science applications [1]. In order to keep up with evolving patient needs and clinical innovations, manufacturers in the medical industry must constantly find ways to enhance the performance of their devices and instruments while simultaneously managing costs. Though these manufacturers have employed coatings and surface treatments for decades, modern clinical challenges are fueling demand for increased robustness, sensitivity, and working lifetime of diagnostic instrumentation and componentry that has never previously been achieved. This has led to the need for new biocompatible coating technologies that can surpass existing performance standards and be efficiently integrated into the overall production process. This paper will introduce Dursan® [2, 3], a silicon-oxygen-carbon coating that provides biochemical inertness, corrosion resistance, and low surface energy (non-stick) properties to stainless steel and other substrates. By using a vacuum thermal process instead of dip, spray, or line-of-sight methods, the chemical vapor-deposited (CVD) coating lends itself to ease of processing, high volume scale-up, and uniform deposition onto complex components with narrow internal cavities, high aspect ratio features, and blind holes. Unlike solvent-based or polymeric treatments, the molecularly-bonded CVD coating can be flexed without risk of flaking or damage. After an introduction to the composition and deposition process, the protein resistant, corrosion resistant, and hydrophobic properties of this coating will be demonstrated and discussed. The CVD coating will also be compared to an amorphous fluoropolymer coating in the context of a medical diagnostic application [4].
Journal: TechConnect Briefs
Volume: 1, Advanced Materials: TechConnect Briefs 2017
Published: May 14, 2017
Pages: 286 - 290
Industry sector: Advanced Materials & Manufacturing
Topic: Coatings, Surfaces & Membranes
ISBN: 978-0-9975117-8-9