| AVS 65th International Symposium & Exhibition | |
| Processing and Characterization of Air-Liquid, Solid-Liquid and Air-Solid Interfaces Focus Topic | Tuesday Sessions |
| Session PC+AS+BI+EM+NS+PB+SS-TuA |
| Session: | Progress in Industrial Processes and Characterization of Interfaces and Gas-Solid Interfacial Processes and Characterization |
| Presenter: | Jeffrey Fenton, Medtronic |
| Authors: | J. Fenton, Medtronic B. Theilacker, Medtronic A. Belu, Medtronic B. Tischendorf, Medtronic |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
Advances in materials chemistry have increased the need for deep understanding of process-material interactions and their role in device or component longevity. In the medical device industry advances are due in part to operating in a federally regulated environment where it may be necessary to understand not only what is the surface chemistry, but how various chemistries interact with the body, what is clean, or where does a foreign material originate. This presentation will highlight case studies where microscopy and surface characterization techniques were successfully applied to help further understand materials performance and interactions with the body.
Polymers used in the medical industry often undergo numerous clinical trials, laboratory testing, and development to understand the body and polymer interactions. The interactions these materials often undergo may potentially be at odds with the bulk material properties. For example, it may be desirable to modify surface properties of PTFE for polymer adhesion or modify a surface chemistry to improve bio compatibility. Methods of polymer surface modification will be presented that either enable or hinder the adhesion of a material to the surface.
Lithium ions generated during battery discharge may undergo interactions with components in or near the battery forming chemistries that may degrade battery performance or material stability. For example, lithium ions are known to interact with silica containing glass to form lithium silicide. The formation of these silicides can degrade the hermetic seal of feedthroughs. One method of studying these interactions is in-situ interfacial reactions characterization. This facile method of generating ions in-situ can be leveraged to understand what reactions may occur at a substrate surface.
The application of surface characterization techniques such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Time of Flight-Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) provide unique insights into surface modifications and can help ensure the reliability of medical devices. These techniques support the development and manufacturing of Medtronic products such as packing and perfusion devices to improve processing conditions, understand failure modes, and surface-tissue interactions.