Method for making prosthesis of polymeric material coated with biocompatible carbon
First Claim
1. A method of forming a prosthetic device having a substrate, consisting essentially of:
- triode cathodic sputtering of carbon at a low temperature and a pressure of between 6×
10-4 to 6×
10-3 mbar and at a sputtering voltage of from about 2,000 to 3,200 volts and a sputtering current of from about 0.1 to 0.3 amps onto the substrate without degradation thereof to form a continuous turbostratic biocompatible carbon coating having a density of at least about 2.1 g/cm3 on the substrate which is firmly adherent thereto.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A prosthetic device includes a turbostratic biocompatible carbon film firmly adherent to a substrate and having a density of at least 2.1 g/cm3. The carbon preferably is very thin, e.g., less than about one micron. The thin carbon biocompatible film covers at least that portion of the substrate which will be in contact with body tissue and/or fluids to insure against physiological rejection and degradation of the prosthetic device. The carbon can be deposited on a variety of substrates, including low temperature substrates, in situ, without adversely affecting the mechanical properties of the substrate. The prosthetic device of the invention is formed by triode sputtering vacuum deposition at a relatively low temperature to achieve the desired results with respect to the deposited carbon and the substrate and with respect to the required adherence therebetween.
174 Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A method of forming a prosthetic device having a substrate, consisting essentially of:
triode cathodic sputtering of carbon at a low temperature and a pressure of between 6×
10-4 to 6×
10-3 mbar and at a sputtering voltage of from about 2,000 to 3,200 volts and a sputtering current of from about 0.1 to 0.3 amps onto the substrate without degradation thereof to form a continuous turbostratic biocompatible carbon coating having a density of at least about 2.1 g/cm3 on the substrate which is firmly adherent thereto.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14)
-
11. The method according to cliam 1, wherein the material of the substrate is selected from the group consisting of polyester resins, polytetrafluoroethylene, silicone, polyacetal resins, polyurethanes, polyethylene, cobalt-chromium alloys, titanium and titanium alloys, and wherein the carbon sputtered on the substrate is turbostratic.
-
15. A method of forming a prosthetic device having a substrate, comprising:
-
forming a plasma beam at a filament current of about 80-90 amps and directing the beam toward a carbon cathode circumscribed by an anode, the cathode and anode being remote from the site of formation of the plasma beam, sputtering the carbon cathode at a pressure of from about 6×
10-4 to 6×
10-3 mbar by said beam while cooling the cathode and anode and operating the cathode at from about 2,000 to 3,200 volts and a current of from about 0.1 to 0.3 amps, anddirecting said sputtered carbon onto the substrate without degradation thereof to form a biocompatible carbon coating on the substrate which is firmly adherent thereto, and has a density of at least about 2.1 g/cm3. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
-
Specification