Method of incorporating carbon nanotubes in a medical appliance, a carbon nanotube medical appliance, and a medical appliance coated using carbon nanotube technology
View Patent ↗A method of coating a medical device, such as a stent or balloon. The method comprises assembling an array of vertically-oriented carbon nanotubes on a surface of the medical device and contacting the array of carbon nanotubes with a liquid. The liquid is evaporated to form a cellular foam made of carbon nanotubes. The liquid may contain a bioactive agent. Also described are medical devices having a coating of cellular foam that is made of carbon nanotubes.
1. A method of coating a medical device, comprising
assembling an array of vertically-oriented carbon nanotubes on a surface of the medical device;
contacting the array of carbon nanotubes with a liquid; and
evaporating the liquid to form a cellular foam made of carbon nanotubes.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a surface of the medical device is patterned, and wherein the array of carbon nanotubes is formed on the patterned surface.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid contains a polymer.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid is an organic solvent.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanotubes are multi-walled carbon nanotubes.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid contains a bioactive agent.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the medical device is a balloon on a balloon catheter.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the medical device is a stent.
9. A medical device having a coating made by the method of claim 1 .
10. The medical device of claim 9 , wherein the carbon nanotubes are multi-walled carbon nanotubes.
11. The medical device of claim 9 , wherein the coating further comprises a polymer.
12. The medical device of claim 9 , wherein the medical device is a balloon on a balloon catheter.
13. The medical device of claim 9 , wherein the medical device is a stent.