I-Corps: Ultra-lubricating and Hemocompatible Nanocomposite Coatings for Surgical Devices

I-Corps：用于手术器械的超润滑和血液相容性纳米复合涂层

• 批准号: 1217196
• 负责人: Eric Loth
• 金额: $ 5万
• 依托单位: University of Virginia Main Campus
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-03-01 至 2012-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1217196&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Corps; Ultra; lubricating; Hemocompatible; Nanocomposite

The last decade has seen a rapid expansion of new minimally-invasive treatments, for instance in structural heart repair, where certain market needs are not well addressed. For example, controlled delivery of bulky devices from small bore endovascular catheter-based delivery systems can be a challenge. Teflon surface modification exists in the marketplace today, but shortcomings of this approach related to performance and price present significant market needs. This project is investigating the ability of bionanocomposite coatings developed to produce comparable transformative lubricity and biocompatibility performance in bio-medical conditions as already seen in fundamental lab experiments. This class of high performing nanocomposites has not previously been successfully implemented in such applications, mainly due to insufficient mechanical durability. This long-standing hurdle has recently been overcome by the team. This innovation effort will enhance scientific and technological understanding by paving the way for transferring superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic materials out of the lab and into the bio-medical field. Stemming from discussions with potential partners, the transformative improvements in lubricity and hemocompatibility are believed to be ideally suited to endovascular delivery catheters (for improved lubricity) and stents (for improved hemocompatibility). The 50-90% reductions in liquid friction gleaned from the fundamental research, combined with the recent mechanical durability achievements should allow for disruptive enhancements in lubricious coatings to improve access, deliverability, and predictable deployment of such medical devices. These coatings could vastly reduce side effects, accelerate natural healing processes, and may even improve hemocompatibility. With the proposed I-Corps project, it is also planned to grow the small entrepreneurship program at UVA by involving undergraduate students and expanding the facilities in creating a high-profile effort to transition a potentially disruptive technology out of a university lab and into the market and grow the local innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem.

过去十年，新的微创治疗方法迅速扩展，例如结构性心脏修复，但某些市场需求并未得到很好的满足。例如，从小口径血管内导管输送系统控制大型装置的输送可能是一个挑战。当今市场上存在聚四氟​​乙烯表面改性，但这种方法在性能和价格方面的缺点提出了巨大的市场需求。该项目正在研究开发的生物纳米复合涂层在生物医学条件下产生可比的转化润滑性和生物相容性性能的能力，正如基础实验室实验中已经看到的那样。此类高性能纳米复合材料此前尚未成功应用于此类应用，主要是由于机械耐久性不足。这个长期存在的障碍最近已被团队克服。这项创新工作将为将超疏水和超亲水材料从实验室转移到生物医学领域铺平道路，从而增强科学和技术理解。根据与潜在合作伙伴的讨论，润滑性和血液相容性的革命性改进被认为非常适合血管内输送导管（用于改善润滑性）和支架（用于改善血液相容性）。从基础研究中收集到的液体摩擦力减少了 50-90%，再加上最近的机械耐久性成就，应该可以实现润滑涂层的颠覆性增强，以改善此类医疗设备的可及性、可交付性和可预测部署。这些涂层可以大大减少副作用，加速自然愈合过程，甚至可以改善血液相容性。通过拟议的 I-Corps 项目，还计划通过让本科生参与并扩大设施来发展 UVA 的小型创业项目，以创建一项备受瞩目的努力，将潜在的颠覆性技术从大学实验室转移到市场，并发展当地的创新和创业生态系统。