Texturing polymer surfaces by transfer casting
First Claim
1. A method for texturing the surfaces of a polymer without altering the chemistry of the same comprising the steps ofplacing a fluorocarbon polymer in a vacuum environment of about 4×
- 10-5 torr,exposing at least one surface of said fluorocarbon polymer to a neutralized beam of ions having an energy between about 200 eV and 2000 eV and an ion beam current density between 0.5 mA/cm2 and 1.0 mA/cm2 to texture the same,removing said fluorocarbon polymer from said vacuum environment,casting a polymer over said textured surface of said fluorocarbon polymer and curing the same, andseparating said cast and cured polymer from said fluorocarbon polymer whereby the surface of said polymer has a negative replica of said textured surface of said fluorocarbon polymer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention is concerned with fabricating textured surfaces on polymers without altering their surface chemistries.
A surface of a fluorocarbon polymer 10 is exposed to a beam 12 of ions from a source 14 to texture it. The polymer 18 which is to be surface-roughened is then cast over the textured surface 20 of the fluorocarbon polymer. After curing, the cast polymer is peeled off the textured fluorocarbon polymer, and the peeled off surface 22 has a negative replica of the textured surface 20.
The microscopic surface texture provides large surface areas for adhesive bonding. In cardiovascular prosthesis applications the surfaces are relied on for the development of a thin adherent well nourished thrombus.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. A method for texturing the surfaces of a polymer without altering the chemistry of the same comprising the steps of
placing a fluorocarbon polymer in a vacuum environment of about 4× - 10-5 torr,
exposing at least one surface of said fluorocarbon polymer to a neutralized beam of ions having an energy between about 200 eV and 2000 eV and an ion beam current density between 0.5 mA/cm2 and 1.0 mA/cm2 to texture the same, removing said fluorocarbon polymer from said vacuum environment, casting a polymer over said textured surface of said fluorocarbon polymer and curing the same, and separating said cast and cured polymer from said fluorocarbon polymer whereby the surface of said polymer has a negative replica of said textured surface of said fluorocarbon polymer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- 10-5 torr,
Specification