An article for a living body or a biological sample is provided, the article including a first film and a second film, in which the first film includes an amorphous carbon film in which a proportion of the number of carbon atoms having an sp.sup.2-hybrid orbital to a total number of carbon atoms having an sp.sup.2-hybrid orbital and carbon atoms having an sp.sup.3-hybrid orbital is in a range of 23 to 43 atom % or a titanium-doped amorphous carbon film in which a proportion of the number of titanium atoms to the number of carbon atoms is in a range of 3 to 12 atom %, and the second film includes any one film selected from an amorphous carbon film in which a static contact angle with pure water is 10 or less, a titanium-doped amorphous carbon film in which a proportion of the number of titanium atoms to the number of carbon atoms is less than 3 atom % or greater than 12 atom %, or a titanium-doped amorphous carbon film in which a static contact angle with pure water is 10 or less.

Techniques to fabricate and use a nanocomposite coating that includes one or more nanotubes such as carbon nanotubes are disclosed. In some examples, a guidewire may include the nanocomposite material. The guidewire is immune to electromagnetic interference, is thermally robust, and is capable of accommodating inactive markers and active electronics.

A device for reducing pulsatile pressure within a vessel to treat heart disease, such as pulmonary hypertension, includes a compliant body structured to expand and contract upon changes in pressure within the vessel, a reservoir structured for holding a fluid therein, and a conduit extending between and fluidly coupling the reservoir and the compliant body, wherein the device includes a graphene-polymer composite designed to resist diffusion of the fluid through the device.

A film formation method is provided with a step for disposing a non-electroconductive long thin tube 102 in a chamber 101 in which the internal pressure thereof is adjustable, generating a plasma inside the long thin tube 102 in a state in which a starting material gas including a hydrocarbon is supplied, and forming a diamond-like carbon film on an inner wall surface of the long thin tube 102. The long thin tube 102 is disposed in the chamber 101 in a state in which a discharge electrode 125 is disposed in one end part of the long thin tube 102 and the other end part is open. An alternating-current bias is intermittently applied between the discharge electrode 125 and a counter electrode 126 provided so as to be separated from the long thin tube 102.

Superhydrophobic materials are disclosed and described, along with devices, surfaces, and associated methods. Such materials can be coated onto device surfaces, system surfaces, structures, and the like.

A silicone septum having a surface coating. The coated silicone septum may be incorporated in an intravenous catheter assembly. The coating reduces static charge among a plurality of vibrating silicone septa during manufacture of the intravenous catheter assembly. The surface coating includes a coating agent selected from a bicarbonate salt and a siloxane polyalkyleneoxide copolymer. The bicarbonate salt may be an alkali metal bicarbonate. The siloxane polyalkyleneoxide copolymer may include copolymer groups selected from ethyleneoxide, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, and mixtures thereof. The silicon septum may be coated by contacting an exterior surface of the silicone septum with a coating solution of a solvent and the coating agent for at least 5 minutes. The coating agent has a concentration in the solvent greater than 1 wt. %. Excess coating solution is removed from the exterior surface of the silicone septum. The exterior surface is dried to remove the solvent, forming the surface coating.

A silicone septum having a surface coating. The coated silicone septum may be incorporated in an intravenous catheter assembly. The coating reduces static charge among a plurality of vibrating silicone septa during manufacture of the intravenous catheter assembly. The surface coating includes a coating agent selected from a bicarbonate salt and a siloxane polyalkyleneoxide copolymer. The bicarbonate salt may be an alkali metal bicarbonate. The siloxane polyalkyleneoxide copolymer may include copolymer groups selected from ethyleneoxide, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, and mixtures thereof. The silicon septum may be coated by contacting an exterior surface of the silicone septum with a coating solution of a solvent and the coating agent for at least 5 minutes. The coating agent has a concentration in the solvent greater than 1 wt. %. Excess coating solution is removed from the exterior surface of the silicone septum. The exterior surface is dried to remove the solvent, forming the surface coating.

A medical probe is provided in which at least a portion of the outer surface of the medical probe is coated with a diamond-like carbon material or with a diamond-like carbon derivative material. In one embodiment, substantially the entire outer surface is coated except for an end portion of the medical probe adapted for connection to an endoscopy apparatus. In another embodiment, the medical probe is a lithotripsy probe for use with an ultrasonic transducer in the removal of hard masses, such as kidney stones, from the biliary and/or urinary systems.

A medical device includes an inflatable balloon having an axial length with a wall located along the axial length having an interior surface and an exterior surface that defines a wall thickness there between. At least a portion of the wall is formed of a nanoplatelet composite material that includes a polymeric matrix and one or more platelet nanofillers. The platelet nanofillers are aligned in a predetermined pattern. The predetermined pattern allows the platelet nanofillers to extend in at least two directions ranging from the nanofillers being circumferentially-oriented to axially-oriented relative to the axial length of the inflatable balloon.

Inflatable medical balloons are disclosed herein. The inflatable medical balloons include balloon walls that are reinforced with graphene. The balloon walls can include any number of layers and one or more of the layers may include graphene. Catheters including the medical balloons are also disclosed in addition to methods for manufacturing the inflatable medical balloons.