Method for polymerizing a monomer solution within a cavity to generate a smooth polymer surface

• US 8,110,251 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2008
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: GluMetrics, Inc.
• Inventors: Markle, David R., Zhang, Huashi, Romey, Matthew A., Wessling, Ritchie A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yuan, Dah-Wei
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walters, Jr., Robert S
• Application Number:
  US12/026,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20080187655A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• Field of Search: 427/258, 427/350, 427/508, 427/336
• US Class Current: 427/336
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6434 Optrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/773 Porous polymer jacket; Polymer matrix with indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/7786 Fluorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/7703 using reagent-clad optical fibres or optical waveguides using measurement of total internal reflection or attenuated total reflection G01N21/552; optical fibres or waveguides per se G02B

Abstract

In preferred embodiments, the present invention relates to methods for polymerizing a monomer solution within a cavity covered by a porous membrane to generate a smooth polymer surface. More specifically, the method can be used to provide a medical device or sensor with a smooth polymer surface.

Claims

1. A method for making an analyte sensor having a smooth outer surface, comprising:

providing an optical fiber comprising a cavity covered by a membrane having pores;

loading the cavity and the membrane pores with a solution comprising polymerizable monomers, an analyte indicator system and a polymerization initiator; and

initiating polymerization of said monomers;

wherein prior to initiating polymerization, the loaded cavity and membrane pores are coated with wax and the solution is deoxygenated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wax coating is removed after polymerization is completed to leave a smooth outer surface, wherein the analyte indicator system is immobilized within the cavity.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein removing the wax comprises contacting the wax with an organic solvent.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the organic solvent is an alkane.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the alkane is hexane.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein removing the wax further comprises application of ultrasonic energy.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator system comprises a fluorophore and an analyte binding moiety.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the loading step comprises vacuum filling.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating polymerization comprises application of a second initiator selected to undergo a redox reaction with the polymerization initiator.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating polymerization comprises application of thermal or radiation energy.