May 4, 2003

2 Min Read
Biocompatible Dielectric Material Offers Increased Strength

Originally Published MPMN May 2003

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Biocompatible Dielectric Material Offers Increased Strength

ZacharyTurke

Product suited for critical limited-space applications

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A mechanically modified fluoropolymer material from W. L. Gore & Associates Inc. can be applied pinhole-free in layers as thin as 0.5 mil.

A high-strength fluoropolymer from W. L. Gore & Associates Inc. (Elkton, MD) is designed for electrophysiology applications where reliability is critical. Mechanically modified using a proprietary process, the material offers increased abrasion and cut-through resistance when compared with some other plastics. Other product benefits cited by the company include improved dielectric strength and enhanced toughness for resisting dynamic loads.

What may be more appealing to designers, however, is the material's ability to reduce space requirements. "Our material can be applied in layers of just 0.5 mil without fear of pinholes," says product manager Ed Rubin. "To get similar performance from most other materials, you have to apply them in layers at least 2 mil thick. And while this reduction may not seem like much on the surface, it really starts to add up in devices that have bundles of wires running throughout them," he says.

According to Rubin, the material's applications include endoscopes, cables, and mapping catheters. Its robustness and reliability also make it suitable for devices that experience high impulse forces, varying dynamics, and severe environmental exposure.

W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc., 402 Vieve's Way, Elkton, MD 21921; phone: 800/445-4673, +1/302-292-5100; fax: 800/774-4673; [email protected]; www.gore.com/electronics; Ed Rubin is the contact person.


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