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Written by Dr Amit Pratap Singh
PhD, Delhi University PostDoc AIST, Japan Google Scholar profile: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=NXQOld4AAAAJ ResearchGate profile: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Amit-Singh-126
Published: 0
Reviewed By Dr Alidad Amirfazli
Professor and York Research Chair in Surface Engineering and Instrumentation at York University, Canada. Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=sl-cdFAAAAAJ&hl=en
Reviewed: 24
This is a practical guide to Surface Science for researchers working in the Medical Device Industry.
In this all-new guide you’ll learn all about:
Let’s dive right in.
The efficient and reliable functioning of medical devices greatly depends on selecting the right materials and understanding their interactions within the device and with the surroundings. For example, materials should have good strength, durability, and minimal issues with corrosion resistance. Different surface properties, such as contact angle, sliding angle, surface energy, and surface tension, play a key role in performance and safety. These properties influence the biocompatibility, adhesion, wear resistance, and antifouling characteristics of medical devices.
We use the important surface properties below to understand the behavior of Medical Device products and improve their quality.
Young – Laplace Method
Polynomial Method
Dynamic Contact Angle
Ideally, when we place a drop on a solid surface, a unique angle exists between the liquid and the solid surface. We can calculate the value of this ideal contact angle (the so-called Young’s contact angle) using Young’s equation. In practice, due to surface geometry, roughness, heterogeneity, contamination, and deformation, the contact angle value on a surface is not necessarily unique but falls within a range. We call this range’s upper and lower limits the advancing contact angle and the receding contact angle, respectively. The values of advancing and receding contact angles for a solid surface are also very sensitive. They can be affected by many parameters, such as temperature, humidity, homogeneity, and minute contamination of the surface and liquid. For example, the advancing and receding contact angles of a surface can differ at different locations.
Practical surfaces and coatings naturally show contact angle hysteresis, indicating a range of equilibrium values. When we measure static contact angles, we get a single value within this range. Solely relying on static measurements poses problems, like poor repeatability and incomplete surface assessment regarding adhesion, cleanliness, roughness, and homogeneity.
In practical applications, we need to understand a surface’s liquid spreading ease (advancing angle) and removal ease (receding angle), such as in painting and cleaning. Measuring advancing and receding angles offers a holistic view of liquid-solid interaction, unlike static measurements, which yield an arbitrary value within the range.
This insight is crucial for real-world surfaces with variations, roughness, and dynamics, aiding industries like cosmetics, materials science, and biotechnology in designing effective surfaces and optimizing processes.
Learn how Contact Angle measurement is done on our Tensiometer
For a more complete understanding of Contact Angle measurement, read our Contact Angle measurement: The Definitive Guide
This property measures the force that acts on the surface of a liquid, aiming to minimize its surface area.
Dynamic Surface Tension
Dynamic surface tension differs from static surface tension, which refers to the surface energy per unit area (or force acting per unit length along the edge of a liquid surface).
Static surface tension characterizes the equilibrium state of the liquid interface, while dynamic surface tension accounts for the kinetics of changes at the interface. These changes could involve the presence of surfactants, additives, or variations in temperature, pressure, and composition at the interface.
Dynamic surface tension is essential for processes that involve rapid changes at the liquid-gas or liquid-liquid interface, such as droplet and bubble formation or coalescence (change of surface area), behavior of foams, and drying of paints (change of composition, e.g., evaporation of solvent). We measure it by analyzing the shape of a hanging droplet over time.
Dynamic surface tension applies to various industries, including cosmetics, coatings, pharmaceuticals, paint, food and beverage, and industrial processes, where understanding and controlling the behavior of liquid interfaces is essential for product quality and process efficiency.
Learn how Surface Tension measurement is done on our Tensiometer
For a more complete understanding of Surface Energy measurement, read our Surface Tension measurement: The Definitive Guide
Learn how Surface Energy measurement is done on our Tensiometer
For a more complete understanding of Surface Energy measurement, read our Surface Energy measurement: The Definitive Guide
The sliding angle measures the angle at which a liquid film slides over a solid surface. It is commonly employed to assess the slip resistance of a surface.
Learn how Sliding Angle measurement is done on our Tensiometer
For a more complete understanding of Sliding Angle measurement, read our Sliding Angle Measurement: The Definitive Guide
Within the Medical Device industry, several case studies exemplify the advantages of conducting surface property measurements.
A group of experts actively crafts medical devices like stents and catheters for implantation within the human body. Recognizing the crucial role of surface properties in preventing infections, they meticulously study liquid interactions with these surfaces. This in-depth analysis allows them to design surfaces that repel protein adhesion, ultimately reducing the risk of equipment failure and ensuring smoother patient recoveries.
Imagine a team developing advanced drug delivery systems, like patches that administer medication or implants that gradually release drugs. Their secret weapon for making these systems efficient is measuring surface properties. By analyzing how liquids behave on the surface, the team can fine-tune the design to ensure precise drug release and absorption. This innovation increases treatment effectiveness and enhances patient well-being.
A team is actively developing biodegradable materials for medical use, like sutures and wound dressings. Their goal is to create materials that seamlessly integrate with the body’s natural processes. They achieve this by studying how liquids interact with the surface, allowing them to fine-tune the materials for optimal healing and minimal adverse reactions. This meticulous approach leads to medical solutions that not only promote recovery but also naturally break down over time.
If you are interested in implementing these or any other applications, please contact us.
In an industry where precision reigns supreme, where do Medical Device manufacturers turn to ensure their products can survive scrutiny? The answer lies in standards and guidelines: the compass that guides cosmetics manufacturers through the complex maze of quality and performance.
This method provides the procedure of hydrophobic contamination removal with the help of contact angle measurements. This standard is more effective in smooth surfaces and it may not work well in rough or porous surfaces.
This International Standard sets requirements for a quality management system for regulatory purposes. As per this standard, an organization should demonstrate its ability to provide medical devices and related services that regularly meet customer and applicable regulatory requirements.
We hope this guide showed you how to apply surface science in cosmetics industry.
Now we’d like to turn it over to you:
Droplet Lab was founded in 2016 by Dr. Alidad Amirfazli, faculty member at York University, and two of his researchers, Dr. Huanchen Chen and Dr. Jesus L. Muros-Cobos.
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