Patent ID: 8926776
Filing Date: 2015-01-06
Classification: A61F,A61L,A61M,B82Y,C08K,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for making a reinforced balloon for a balloon catheter comprising the steps of: dispersing a nano composite perfused with water in a polymer having polyamide chains oriented to form a composite matrix of a dispersion of spaced apart particles of said nano composite such that said polyamide chains and said nano composite would be oriented parallel to an axis of a balloon formed from said composite matrix, said nano composite being selected from the group consisting of carbon nanotubes, nano-ceramic fibers, and platelets of a nano clay; controlling the volume or weight percent of said nano composite in said composite matrix relative to said polymer such that said nano composite is between 0.20% and 20% by volume or weight of the composite matrix and the polymer is between 80% and 99.80% by volume or weight of the composite matrix; controlling wetting of said nano composite; rolling and stretching said composite matrix to orient said nano composite in one direction in said composite matrix; forming said composite matrix into a sheet having opposing edges; fusing said opposing edges of said sheet together to form a tube having a longitudinal axis, with said opposing edges aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube such that said sheet forms a wall of said tube and said nano composite is oriented tangentially in said wall of said tube; drawing down the tube to desired dimensions; blow molding the tube into a balloon having a wall; and controlling orientation of said nano composite to be oriented tangentially in the wall of the balloon on average.