Catheter tip forming is processing the tip at the distal end so that the catheter can move smoothly through the geometrically complex vascular structure. This thermoforming process has a problem in that the polymer tube adheres to the outer surface of the mold. To solve this problem, in the existing...
Catheter tip forming is processing the tip at the distal end so that the catheter can move smoothly through the geometrically complex vascular structure. This thermoforming process has a problem in that the polymer tube adheres to the outer surface of the mold. To solve this problem, in the existing industry, the surface of the mold was coated with PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene). However, due to repeated use, the coating is detached and the polymer tube adheres to the mandrels again, and the mold is frequently replaced. Therefore, in this study, metal was electroplated on the surface of the mandrel in order to realize the performance of the PTFE coating. In order to select the optimal plating material, Cr, Zn, and Ni were selected as candidate groups. Durability measurement by abrasion test, surface energy according to contact angle, and adhesion force by AFM were measured and compared. As a result, Ni, which has similar surface properties to PTFE, and has the best durability, was selected as the optimal material. By applying the Ni-plated mold to tip forming process, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the shape precision and wear resistance according to the number of repetitions. As a result, the PTFE mandrel showed a phenomenon in which the coating detach as repetitions increased. However, in the case of Ni, it was confirmed that there was no change in appearance and surface roughness even when the number of repetitions increased. Based on these experimental results, a Ni-plated tip forming mold that can replace PTFE was presented.
Catheter tip forming is processing the tip at the distal end so that the catheter can move smoothly through the geometrically complex vascular structure. This thermoforming process has a problem in that the polymer tube adheres to the outer surface of the mold. To solve this problem, in the existing industry, the surface of the mold was coated with PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene). However, due to repeated use, the coating is detached and the polymer tube adheres to the mandrels again, and the mold is frequently replaced. Therefore, in this study, metal was electroplated on the surface of the mandrel in order to realize the performance of the PTFE coating. In order to select the optimal plating material, Cr, Zn, and Ni were selected as candidate groups. Durability measurement by abrasion test, surface energy according to contact angle, and adhesion force by AFM were measured and compared. As a result, Ni, which has similar surface properties to PTFE, and has the best durability, was selected as the optimal material. By applying the Ni-plated mold to tip forming process, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the shape precision and wear resistance according to the number of repetitions. As a result, the PTFE mandrel showed a phenomenon in which the coating detach as repetitions increased. However, in the case of Ni, it was confirmed that there was no change in appearance and surface roughness even when the number of repetitions increased. Based on these experimental results, a Ni-plated tip forming mold that can replace PTFE was presented.
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