Parylene is a polymer most commonly used as a world leading surface modifier (conformal coating), protecting and insulating vast and varied applications from harsh environments such as: chemicals, acids, aggressive gases, extreme temperatures and humidity. Other uses for Parylene include nano–packaging, friction reduction and more.
Parylene conformal coating offers several advantages. In fact when you are trying to solve a single problem you always receive the complete package of advantages.
Applying Parylene for use in Medical and Bio-Medical Devices
Use of medical devices requires a large set of pre-requisites, these include: moisture insulation, isolating the product to withstand various chemicals (among them body fluids and their entire acidity spectrum), passive surface area, electrical insulation, bio-compatibility, microscopic particle-movement prevention, friction reduction and many more.
To ensure these requirements and others, the Parylene coating will provide the following solutions:
• Resistance to water and water based thinners as well as their derivatives, including sodium.
• Adhesion to various types of infrastructures and diverse number of probes.
• Insulation covering the entire length of the device.
• Minimal thickness and weight.
• The ability to withstand strong electrical fields.
• Non-toxicity and ability to meet pasteurization and sterilization requirements.
• Elasticity and low friction coefficient.
• Humid and chemical protection
• Inertness
• Ultimate conformity and Complete Penetration
• Large spectrum Transparency RF, Optical, IR and more
• FDA/CE approved
The selection of a type of coating is governed by a large number of parameters covering everything that is specified above, and more. Parylene, as it turns out, is the ideal coating agent, possessing all the various criteria aforementioned, scoring high in each and every parameter and factoring in all the required elements necessary for use in medical/bio-medical devices.In fact, the use of Parylene has allowed us to push the limits of medicine; wherever Parylene has been used it has enabled the development of new transplantable medical devices, which have helped advance medicine. It is now possible to implant, swallow or penetrate using the following devices (partial list): pacemakers, stents, electrodes, various catheters of varying lengths, blood treating devices, laparoscopy apparatuses, bone-growth stimulators, ear transplants, artificial limbs, pressure and temperature gauges, and more.