TPU Coating
TPU Coating – Ultrasonic Stent Coating Systems – Cheersonic
Polyurethane is a family of copolymers formed by the reaction of polyols and diisocyanates with appropriate catalysts. Since a wide range of diisocyanates and polyols can be used, products with a variety of material properties can be produced, and there are hundreds of types of polyurethane. Polyurethanes are very versatile and can be used for coatings and formulated into products with good biocompatibility and blood compatibility. Polyurethanes have high durability, high strength, high elasticity and high wear resistance, can be adjusted to resist body fluids as needed, and have been used in the medical device industry for many years.
01. Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)
Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) belongs to the family of thermoplastic elastomers. It has high strength, high elasticity and wear resistance, which can comprehensively improve the durability of the final product. Thermoplastic polyurethane can be dissolved in a solvent and then applied to the stent-type device by dipping or spraying techniques. These techniques can produce an impermeable (non-porous) covering with high mechanical strength and relatively low thickness. Therefore, TPU dip coating is one of the most common stent coverings and can be used in a variety of medical devices such as non-vascular stents, thrombus retrievers, filtration devices, etc.
02. Dip and spray coating technology
Dip coating is a very common technology because it enables a fast and cost-effective manufacturing process. Spray coating uses a nozzle to break up the polymer into tiny droplets, which are deposited onto a horizontal rotating mandrel connected to the stent. This process eliminates the effect of gravity and increases the vertical uniformity of the coating thickness. This technology is usually used for longer stents or hypotubes where thickness uniformity is required. Both dip and spray coating can provide impermeable coatings with high thickness uniformity for a variety of stent geometries, and the thickness of the coating is very low (wall thickness of 15-100 µm).
03. TPU lamination technology
One of the technologies that has been used to solve the challenges of stent coating is TPU lamination. TPU can be dissolved in a solution and then molded into a tube or film, which can be laminated to the stent-based device by heat and pressure. This allows very complex geometries to be covered with very thin and precise coatings. In addition, it can also cover only an extremely thin layer on the inner diameter or outer diameter, further reducing the thickness of the overall covering layer and the crimping profile. Therefore, it can be used in situations where the thickness of the covering layer and the crimping profile are high. Another advantage of this technology is the ability to generate selective coverage, that is, the TPU film can only be attached to specific areas of the stent. This technology is usually used in situations where ultra-low crimping profiles and radial forces are required.
Polyurethane coating technology:
Dip coating process, spraying process, lamination process, etc.
Polyurethane coating layer is suitable for:
Digestive tract stents, respiratory tract stents, vascular stents, aortic valves, mitral valves, tricuspid valves, pulmonary valves and other products
Cheersonic provides a variety of ultrasonic coating equipment and solutions for manufacturing industry of implantable, in interventional medical devices, the drug-eluting stents and balloon catheters. Our ultrasonic coating systems have been used to spray anti-restenosis drug eluting polymer solutions onto implantable stents. Compared to conventional two-fluid nozzles, ultrasonic nozzles can spray a more uniform drug coating that completely covers the stent without the orange peel and adhesion to a complex stent. And the coatings are much thinner than can be achieved with dip coating, saving spray material.
- Ideal for R&D and low-volume production
- Compact desktop design that is easy to move
- The material usage ratio > 95%
- Reliable, repeatable and consistent coating, uniformity of ±5%
- Max. length 100mm, max. diameter 60mm
About Cheersonic
Cheersonic is the leading developer and manufacturer of ultrasonic coating systems for applying precise, thin film coatings to protect, strengthen or smooth surfaces on parts and components for the microelectronics/electronics, alternative energy, medical and industrial markets, including specialized glass applications in construction and automotive.
Our coating solutions are environmentally-friendly, efficient and highly reliable, and enable dramatic reductions in overspray, savings in raw material, water and energy usage and provide improved process repeatability, transfer efficiency, high uniformity and reduced emissions.
Chinese Website: Cheersonic Provides Professional Coating Solutions