Electronic Failure of Small Implantable Devices due to Moisture Ingress Through a Medical Grade Epoxy

Type of content
Journal Article
Thesis discipline
Degree name
Publisher
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Language
Date
2023
Authors
Munro, Deborah
Blue S
Abstract

This article discusses the evaluation of the hermeticity of polymeric/epoxy enclosures for long-term implantation. The aim was to determine the expected lifespan of biomedical devices inside the human body under accelerated conditions using two medical grade epoxies, Loctite Hysol M-31CL and Master Bond EP40 Med, to prevent moisture ingress. The results showed that the type of adhesive used to seal biomedical devices is a critical factor in determining their expected lifespan inside the human body, and the EP40 Med epoxy provided superior performance against moisture ingress compared to the M-31CL epoxy. A mathematical model was used to determine the lifetime of the polymer-metal-epoxy encapsulation based on internal relative humidity, which closely resembled the experimental results. The study's limitations included visual interpretation to determine the day the internal relative humidity reached 55%, and the experimental tests were conducted under accelerated conditions. Further research is necessary to confirm the generalizability of these results to real-world conditions and explore other factors that may influence the lifespan of biomedical devices. However, the study provides valuable information for the design and development of biomedical devices and highlights the critical role that adhesives play in determining their expected lifespan inside the human body.

Description
Citation
Munro D, Blue S (2023). Electronic Failure of Small Implantable Devices due to Moisture Ingress Through a Medical Grade Epoxy. Proceedings of the ASME 2023 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition. Volume 5: Biomedical and Biotechnology(New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. October 29–November 2, 2023).
Keywords
implantable devices, biomedical epoxy, moisture ingress, mathematical modelling
Ngā upoko tukutuku/Māori subject headings
ANZSRC fields of research
40 - Engineering::4003 - Biomedical engineering::400308 - Medical devices
Rights
All rights reserved unless otherwise stated