An Evaluation of Parylene Thin Films to Prevent Encrustation for a Urinary Bladder Pressure MEMS Sensor System.

Recent developments in urological implants have focused on preventive strategies to mitigate encrustation and biofilm formation. Parylene, a conformal, pinhole-free polymer coating, has gained attention due to its high biocompatibility and chemical resistance, excellent barrier properties, and low friction coefficient. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of parylene C in comparison to a parylene VT4 grade coating in preventing encrustation on a urinary bladder pressure MEMS sensor system.

Inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 on salt-coated surfaces: an in vitro study.

In the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), face masks have become a very important safety measure against the main route of transmission of the virus: droplets and aerosols. Concerns that masks contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 infectious particles could be a risk for self-contamination have emerged early in the pandemic as well as solutions to mitigate this risk. The coating of masks with sodium chloride, an antiviral and non-hazardous to health chemical, could be an option for reusable masks.

Development of a Water Transmission Rate (WTR) Measurement System for Implantable Barrier Coatings.

While water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) measurement is standardly used to assess material permeability, a system able to quantify liquid water transmission rate (WTR) measurement is highly desirable for implantable thin film barrier coatings. Indeed, since implantable devices are in contact or immersed in body fluids, liquid WTR was carried out to obtain a more realistic measurement of the barrier performance. Parylene is a well-established polymer which is often the material of choice for biomedical encapsulation applications due to its flexibility, biocompatibility, and attractive barrier properties.

In vitro testing of salt coating of fabrics as a potential antiviral agent in reusable face masks.

During the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, wearing face masks in public spaces became mandatory in most countries. The risk of self-contamination when handling face masks, which was one of the earliest concerns, can be mitigated by adding antiviral coatings to the masks. In the present study, we evaluated the antiviral effectiveness of sodium chloride deposited on a fabric suitable for the manufacturing of reusable cloth masks using techniques adapted to the home environment.

Thermal Analysis of Parylene Thin Films for Barrier Layer Applications.

Biocompatible polymer films demonstrating excellent thermal stability are highly desirable for high-temperature (>250 °C) applications, especially in the bioelectronic encapsulation domain. Parylene, as an organic thin film, is a well-established polymer material exhibiting excellent barrier properties and is often the material of choice for biomedical applications. This work investigated the thermal impact on the bulk properties of four types of parylene films: parylene N, C, VT4, and AF4.

Development and in-vitro characterization of an implantable flow sensing transducer for hydrocephalus.

An implantable transducer for monitoring the flow of Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for the treatment of hydrocephalus has been developed which is based on measuring the heat dissipation of a local thermal source. The transducer uses passive telemetry at 13.56 MHz for power supply and read out of the measured flow rate.