Patent ID: 7419633

Claim:
A method for making a reinforced balloon for a balloon catheter comprising the steps of: blending a matrix of polymer with a nano composite selected from one of carbon nanotubes, a nano clay or nano-ceramic fibers together with a lubricant to aid dispersion of the nano composite during blending of the matrix; controlling the volume or weight percent of nano composite in the matrix relative to the polymer such that the nano composite is between 0.20% and 20% by volume or weight of the matrix and the polymer is between 80% and 99.80% by volume or weight of the matrix; controlling the “wetting” of the nano composite in the matrix with the lubricant; and then extruding a desirable parison from the blended matrix followed by blow molding the parison into a balloon and wherein said nano composite are nano tubes and during the blow molding of the matrix, the nano tubes are oriented generally axially with respect to an elongate axis of the balloon.