초록 ▼

A catheter and/or balloon for a medical catheter is formed from a blend of polymeric components, including a first crystalline polymeric component and a second softening polymeric component. The polymeric material can also include a third compatibilizing agent to facilitate blending the first two po

A catheter and/or balloon for a medical catheter is formed from a blend of polymeric components, including a first crystalline polymeric component and a second softening polymeric component. The polymeric material can also include a third compatibilizing agent to facilitate blending the first two polymeric components together. The first polymeric component can be a polyester or a polyamide, and the second polymeric component can be a polyolefin, or an ethylene copolymer. The third polymeric component is preferably an ethylene copolymer containing a reactive group that forms a covalent bond with the first polymeric component. The polymeric material forming the balloon or catheter also can include a catalyst to catalyze a reaction between the compatibilizing ethylene copolymer and the second polymer component. The second, softening polymeric component can also include a silane coupling agent, to provide a reactive softening copolymer that bonds with the first strong polymeric component, to provide increased flexibility of catheters and balloons formed from the polymeric components. The properties of the balloon and catheter formed from the polymeric material can be enhanced by crosslinking by irradiation of the polymeric material.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A catheter member formed from a polymeric material, comprising:about 70 to 79 percent by weight of the total polymeric material composition of a first polymeric component selected from the group consisting of polyesters and polyamides, said polyesters being prepared from

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A catheter member formed from a polymeric material, comprising:about 70 to 79 percent by weight of the total polymeric material composition of a first polymeric component selected from the group consisting of polyesters and polyamides, said polyesters being prepared from the group of dicarboxylic acids selected from aromatic dicarboxylic acids having from 8 to 14 carbon atoms and aliphatic dicarboxylic acids having from 2 to 12 carbon atoms, and mixtures thereof, and at least one glycol selected from the group consisting of glycols having the formula HO(CH.sub.2).sub.n OH, where n is an integer from 2 to 10, neopentyl glycol and cyclohexane dimethanol, and mixtures thereof, and said polyamides being branched or straight chain polyamides having a molecular weight of at least 5000, and mixtures thereof;about 10 to 20 percent by weight of the total polymeric material composition of a second polymeric component having a Shore hardness less than 75 D, wherein said second polymeric component is a softening ethylene copolymer, and the ethylene copolymer has the formula E'X' or E'X'Y', where E' is ethylene, and is about 60 to 90 percent by weight of the ethylene copolymer, and where X' is about 10 to 40 percent by weight of the ethylene copolymer, and X' is selected from the group consisting of methylacrylate, ethylacrylate, propylacrylate, butylacrylate, and mixtures thereof, and Y', if present, is selected from the group consisting of .alpha., .beta.-ethylenically unsaturated monocarboxylic acids, .alpha., .beta.-ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acids, and anhydrides, and mixtures thereof, comprising from zero to about 15 percent by weight of the ethylene copolymer; andfrom zero to about 40 percent by weight of the total polymeric material composition of a compatibilizing ethylene copolymer selected from the group of ethylene copolymers having the formula E/X/Y or E/Y, whereE is ethylene,X is an .alpha., .beta.-ethylenically unsaturated monomer derived from at least one of alkylacrylate, alkylmethacrylate, alkyl vinyl ether, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, where the alkyl groups contain 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and mixtures thereof, andY is an .alpha., .beta.-ethylenically unsaturated monomer containing a reactive group that forms a covalent bond with said first polymeric component, wherein the sum of all the polymeric components is 100 weight percent.