Parylenes for Engineered Bioactive Surfaces

Poly-para-xylylenes (Parylenes) were discovered in 1947 and an efficient manner for depositing the Parylene films was developed by 1968. NASA and the Department of Defense adopted Parylenes early on to coat electronic assemblies due to Parylene’s unique protective properties.

Parylenes have been used in biomedical applications as protective coatings for more than twenty years. Parylene N and C are USP class VI biocompatible material. Parylene is truly conformal on a molecular level, inert, pin-hole free, resistant to solvents, acids, bases and the film provides a very good moisture and gas barrier. The dielectric withstand of Parylene films make them an excellent choice for insulating electrically active bodily intrusive and implantable devices. The ability to control thickness and uniformity has also benefited the fields of medicine, surgery and electronics

Along with many other fields in today’s world, biomedical research is moving toward the micro and nanoscale structures of our universe. Manipulating biological structures in the nano-world opens up untold possibilities for humanity. Engineering surfaces and interfaces to create selective reactions with biomolecules is revolutionizing what is now known as Nanobiotechnology.

Parylenes are particularly useful in Nanobiotechnology because the Parylene precursors can be created with many different active functional groups. The deposited films can be patterned and their surfaces can be additionally modified using plasma treatment and silane coupling agents. Parylene surfaces can be chemically customized for specific functions. This type of surface engineering using Parylenes may someday make it possible to modify the surfaces of almost any material. This technology will make it possible for surface engineering replacement materials for bio-structures, such as bone, blood vessels and tissue that will not be rejected by the body as foreign objects. Essentially, we will be able to manipulate a biological system into accepting and interfacing to synthetic replacements parts without having to suppress its immunological response with powerful drugs.

These technology improvements will also lead to electronic implants that can study internal cell processes and broadcast the data in real time. Real time monitoring and signaling of health conditions by small implanted electronic chips is already under development.

Kisco is the only commercial firm that manufactures and provides coating services of functionalized bioactive Parylenes. Please contact us for more information.