Medical Device

Dry Lubricity.

When parylene N is deposited in very thin layers, it acts as a dry-film lubricant. Parylene’s low coefficient of friction is comparable to Teflon (~ 0.25 μs per ASTM D 1894).  This makes it an ideal solution for medical device cables and tubing, catheters, and medical seals.

Vapor Deposition Benefits.

The vapor deposition process that VSI uses has unique benefits compared to dip and spray coatings. Depositing parylene molecule by molecule in a room temperature vacuum chamber means that sharp edges, crevices, points, and exposed internal surfaces can be coated with uniform thickness and a pinhole-free coating.

• Vapor deposition has the added benefit of being solvent-free, and it doesn’t require a curing cycle after coating.
• Parylene is deposited at micron thicknesses, typical applications range from 1-50 microns.
• Delicate components can be coated because no thermal cycling and no fluid contact.

Sterilizable on any Substrate, Parylene is the “Clear” Choice.

Parylene can be used with all common sterilization methods.

• e-beam, gamma
• ethylene oxide (EtO)
• autoclave.

Depending on the application, some methods are more favorable.  If you have an application that requires sterilization, contact us to discuss the details.

Choosing Parylene C or Parylene N.

Parylene C is usually the conformal coating of choice of medical device manufacturers that are looking for a biocompatible barrier layer or dielectric layer.  Parylene C has been used in long-term implantable devices for decades and has provided protection for many of the world’s most advanced life-saving devices.

Parylene N also plays an important role.  Some examples of applications where we would recommend using Parylene N include applications solutions that require: dry lubricity, deep crevice penetration, and RF applications.

Have a question about your own application? Contact an engineer about your medical application today. Discuss your application with a VSI Parylene engineer today. Even if you are already using parylene and have encountered issues or problems that your current supplier cannot solve, VSI can help.

---