Method for the manufacture of precious metal electrodes

1. A method for the manufacture of a medical electrode, comprising:

(i) providing a substrate;

(ii) applying a composition onto the substrate, wherein the composition comprises:

(a) a non-aqueous solvent and

(b) an organic precious metal complex compound that is dissolved in the solvent;

(iii) heating the composition and thereby forming a precious metal layer on the substrate;

wherein the precious metal is gold, palladium or platinum and wherein the medical electrode is biocompatible such that it is configured for implantation within a human body and for direct contact with tissue therein;

wherein the solubility of the organic precious metal complex compound in propylene glycol mono-propyl ether at 25° C. and 1013 hPa is at least 1 mass percent in relation to the total mass of the composition;

wherein the precious metal complex comprises a platinum complex of the type [L1L2Pt[O(CO)R1]X]n,

wherein L1 and L2 represent identical or different monoolefin ligands or, together, represent an L1L2 compound acting as a diolefin ligand,

wherein X is selected from among bromide, chloride, iodide and —O(CO)R2,

wherein —O(CO)R1 and —O(CO)R2 represent identical or different non-aromatic C8-C18 monocarboxylic acid residues or, together, represent a non-aromatic C8-C18 dicarboxylic acid residue —O(CO)R1R2(CO)O—, and

wherein these are mononuclear platinum complexes with n=1 or wherein, in the event of L1L2 and/or —O(CO)R1R2(CO)O— being present, these may be polynuclear platinum complexes with an integer n≥1.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the solubility of the organic precious metal complex compound in propylene glycol mono-propyl ether at 25° C. and 1013 hPa is at least one of 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 mass percent, in relation to the total mass of the composition.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a metal, a ceramic or a plastic material or consists of metal, ceramic or plastic.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the application of the composition is achieved by using a method that is selected from the group consisting of dip coating, spraying, printing, stamping, applying with a paintbrush, applying with a brush, applying with felt, and applying with a cloth.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the heating and thereby forming of a precious metal layer on the substrate is carried out at a temperature of less than 1000° C., 900° C., 800° C., 700° C., 600° C., 500° C., 400° C., 300° C., 250° C., 200° C., or less than 150° C.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the application of the composition onto the substrate is selectively achieved in the form of a predetermined pattern, with the result that the formed precious metal layer obtains the shape of the predetermined pattern.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate is a biocompatible plastic material.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the platinum complex has the formula [(L1L2)Pt[O(CO)R1] 2 ] n , wherein n is 1 or 2, L1L2 is cyclooctadiene or norbornadiene and wherein R1 represents a non-aromatic C7-C17 hydrocarbon residue.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein (ii) and (iii) are repeated one or more times to gradually build up a thicker layer of precious metal.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein (iii) is performed above the decomposition temperature of the precious metal complex but below the melting or decomposition temperature of the substrate.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises an organic solvent having an ET30 value of 30 to 52 kcal/mol, 30 to 50 kcal/mol or 35 to 45 kcal/mol selected from the group consisting of aliphatic and cycloaliphatic compounds, each with 6 to 12 carbon atoms; di-, tri- and tetrachloromethane; aromatic compounds; araliphatic compounds, such as toluol or xylol; alcohols, such as ethanol, n-propanol and isopropanol; ethers; glycol ethers, such as mono-C1-C4-alkylglycol ether and di-C1-C4-alkylglycol ether, for example ethylene glycol mono-C1-C4-alkyl ether, ethylene glycol di-C1-C4-alkyl ether, diethylene glycol mono-C1-C4-alkyl ether, diethylene glycol di-C1-C4-alkyl ether, propylene glycol mono-C1-C4-alkyl ether, propylene glycol di-C1-C4-alkyl ether, dipropylene glycol mono-C1-C4-alkyl ether, and dipropylene glycol di-C1-C4-alkyl ether; esters having 2 to 12 carbon atoms; and ketones, such as acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone and cyclohexanone, or mixtures thereof.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the composition contains 2.5 to 25 weight percent of precious metal in relation to the total weight of the composition.

13. Manufacturing a medical electrode using the method according to claim 1 .