TECHNIQUES TO IMPROVE POLYURETHANE MEMBRANES FOR IMPLANTABLE GLUCOSE SENSORS
First Claim
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1. A method for fabricating a device for measuring a concentration of an analyte, the method comprising:
- providing a sensor mechanism configured to measure an analyte or a product of a reaction associated with the analyte;
forming a solution comprising a blend of a first polymer and a second polymer, wherein a segment of the first polymer and a segment of the second polymer are both formed of a same monomer unit;
maintaining the solution at a temperature sufficient to maintain solubility of the first polymer and the second polymer;
applying the solution to the sensor mechanism;
forming a film from the solution at the temperature; and
drying the film to form a membrane.
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Abstract
The invention provides an implantable membrane for regulating the transport of analytes therethrough that includes a matrix including a first polymer; and a second polymer dispersed throughout the matrix, wherein the second polymer forms a network of microdomains which when hydrated are not observable using photomicroscopy at 400× magnification or less. In one aspect, the homogeneous membrane of the present invention has hydrophilic domains dispersed substantially throughout a hydrophobic matrix to provide an optimum balance between oxygen and glucose transport to an electrochemical glucose sensor.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method for fabricating a device for measuring a concentration of an analyte, the method comprising:
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providing a sensor mechanism configured to measure an analyte or a product of a reaction associated with the analyte; forming a solution comprising a blend of a first polymer and a second polymer, wherein a segment of the first polymer and a segment of the second polymer are both formed of a same monomer unit; maintaining the solution at a temperature sufficient to maintain solubility of the first polymer and the second polymer; applying the solution to the sensor mechanism; forming a film from the solution at the temperature; and drying the film to form a membrane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for fabricating a device for measuring a concentration of an analyte, the method comprising:
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providing a sensor mechanism configured to measure an analyte or a product of a reaction associated with the analyte; forming a solution comprising a blend of a first polymer and a second polymer, wherein the first polymer is a hydrophilic polymer comprising a hydrophilic segment, wherein the second polymer is a hydrophobic-hydrophilic co-polymer comprising a hydrophobic segment and a hydrophilic segment, and wherein the hydrophilic segment of the first polymer and the hydrophilic segment of the second polymer are both formed of a same block; and applying the solution to the sensor mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for fabricating a device for measuring a concentration of an analyte, the method comprising:
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providing a sensor mechanism configured to measure an analyte or a product of a reaction associated with the analyte; forming a solution comprising a matrix comprising a first polymer, wherein the solution further comprises a second polymer dispersed throughout the matrix, wherein the first polymer forms a network of hydrophilic microdomains throughout the matrix to create a pathway for analyte diffusion across a membrane, and wherein a segment of the first polymer and a segment of the second polymer are both formed of a same monomer unit; maintaining the solution at a temperature sufficient to maintain solubility of the first polymer and the second polymer; applying the solution to the sensor mechanism; forming a film from the solution at the temperature; and drying the film to form the membrane. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification