| Many implantable biomedical devices could benefit from a polymer with a strongly temperature-dependent modulus. For example, catheters made from such a polymer could be inserted as a stiff plastic and, upon reaching body temperature, would soften dramatically to minimize erosion of adjacent tissue. Calo•MER™ shape-memory thermoplastics are a family of materials that have a distinct, adjustable thermal transition that produces a dramatic change in modulus (and several other properties) over a narrow but controllable range of temperatures. Calo•MER thermoplastics can be produced with any transition temperature between -40 and 70°C, to a tolerance of ±2°C. The extent of modulus change at the transition temperature can also be easily tailored to the particular application. Calo•MER has many potential applications in medical, industrial, and consumer products. Medical devices for which Calo•MER has been suggested include catheters, bone casts, introducers, stents, and endotracheal tubes. Industrial applications for Calo•MER include spacesuits, connectors, thermal overload devices, and temperature indicators. There is also a potential niche in the toy and novelty market for Calo•MER, where action figures, vehicles, jewelry, flowers, and building systems could benefit from its unique properties. Calo•MER™ shape-memory thermoplastics can be melt fabricated by conventional extrusion, injection molding, or compression molding techniques. These materials are heat-sealable, readily blended with fillers, and easily post-formed. Information provided by the manufacturer, Polymer Technology Group. |
