Alleima® Coated medical wire Wire Skip to content

The polymer coatings can provide a dielectric barrier when the wire in the device is used to transmit electrical signals or provide electrical current for medical therapies. Polymer coatings can also be used for ionic barriers, enhanced corrosion resistance, providing a lubricious surface and/or be used for lead identification.

Electroplated coatings can be used to enhance the joinability of the base wire grades (i.e. solderability, weldability, ultrasonic bonding etc), increase the conductivity and/or provide a more noble surface.

PTFE is used as a coating on fine wire for either dielectric protection or to enhance lubricity. Aqueous based PTFE is typically applied to precious metal alloys such as PtIr of less than 0.100 mm and is clear in color. Solvent based PTFE is applied to the wires in the 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm range for applications such as catheter guide wires. The solvent based PTFE grades provide a balance between good adhesion and good lubricity in these applications. They are supplied in various colors such as green, blue, grey and clear.

Electroplating and polymer coating can be performed on square and ribbon wires in addition to round wires.

Alleima's speciality is gold plated copper (0.02 mm and larger) but plating on a wide variety of other metals is possible (i.e. nickel, nickel chrome, silver and copper alloys). Nickel plating and/or a nickel interlayer is also possible.

Polymer coated wires can be combined in multifilar configurations such as bifilar, trifilar, quadfilar etc. Multifilar wires simplify wire handling when multiple signals are required for a device. Multifilar wire cables can be provided in a flat or bundled configuration and eight different colors and multiple shades of these colors are available for easy identification. Common uses of multifilar coated wires are bifilar pairs for medical microthermocouple applications and quadrfilar goldplated copper leads for sensor signal transmission.

Applications

The primary use for polymer coated, precision medical wire is in sensor applications in vivo diagnostic and in therapeutic procedures, where electrical signals or currents are conducted micro-invasively. Key product features of the Sandvik medical wirrange include small diameter (approx. 0.025 mm) variety of polymer coatings, offered either as standard or as custom-coated to precise requirements and specifications. The extremely thin coatings, applied in a uniform and pinhole-free way, guarantee excellent electric isolation properties. Typical end use applications include heart mapping devices, blood pressure and temperature measuring equipment, tissue temperature sensors and brain sensors.

Common uses of multifilar coated wires are bifilar pairs for medical micro-thermocouple applications and quadfilar goldplated copper leads for sensor signal transmission.

While many of these applications did not exist five to ten years ago, developments in coating technology, coupled with the cooperation between device manufacturers and material suppliers, has resulted in improved product performance, reduced trauma and new product features, allowing medical procedures that were not previously possible.

Production process

Polymer coating

The coating method used is called "flood coating". This method allows for tight dimensional controls and ultrathin wall thicknesses. An older process for Teflon coating, still in major use today, is "electrostatic spray coating" which is applied to a finished medical device. The flood process offers some advantages over the electrostatic process, including improved adhesion of PTFE to the wire, cosmetic enhancements and thickness control.

The standard dielectric polymer coatings can be manufactured in accordance with the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) standards listed below or be modified to meet customer specific requirements (ie ultrathin build not listed in NEMA)

Metal electroplating

Coating : Au, Ag, Cu, Ni

Procedure :

The electroplating method is reel to reel in order to provide continuous lengths of coated wire. The plated surface can be provided in an as plated condition or can be further processed (drawn, annealed) to the finish size after plating. Other electrochemical techniques (anodizing, electropolishing, electrocleaning) are also available to provide surface modifications to metal wire surfaces. Anodizing is used to chemically oxidize aluminum alloys for improved dielectric strength.

Note : Electrical testing that can be performed on these materials includes: dielectric breakdown tests in air or saline solution, continuity tests and pin hole testing.

Technical reference

Alleima^® Insulating coating

Typical specifications for gold plated copper wire

Standard thickness Polyurethane insulation