Design and Implementation of an Inline Coater for Solvent-Based Polyurethane Microelectrode Insulation
- 1Institute for ImplantTechnology and Biomaterials e.V., Friedrich- Barnewitz-Str. 4, 18119 Rostock-Warnemünde, Germany
- 2Institute for ImplantTechnology and Biomaterials e.V., Rostock-Warnemünde, Germany
- 3OTN Implants Germany GmbH, Rostock-Warnemünde, Germany
Abstract
The growing use of microelectrodes in medical technology requires scalable manufacturing processes for high-quality, reproducible, and biocompatible insulation layers. This need is particularly evident in advanced neuroprosthetic systems for upper-limb amputees, where reliable neural and muscular interfaces are essential for intuitive control of bionic prostheses. Current developments aim to integrate electrode-equipped, osseointegrated implants capable of bidirectional communication with the neuromuscular system. Conventional batch coating techniques for microelectrodes often struggle to achieve consistent coating properties at industrial scale. In this work, we present the design and implementation of an inline coater for the continuous deposition of solvent-based polyurethane layers on fine metallic wires. The automated system enables controlled withdrawal of wires from a polymer solution, providing precise adjustment of coating thickness through key process parameters such as solution composition and withdrawal speed. First coating trials on microwires demonstrated homogeneous polyurethane insulation layers. Confocal laser scanning microscopy confirmed that the resulting film thickness correlates predictably with the selected process parameters, highlighting the potential of this approach for scalable production of durable and biocompatible wire insulation for medical applications.
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BibTeX
@article{stefan2026design,
title = {{Design and Implementation of an Inline Coater for Solvent-Based Polyurethane Microelectrode Insulation}},
author = {Siewert Stefan and Thiesen Alexander and Tetzlaff Lucas and Reske Thomas and Meent Henk van de and Schmitz Klaus-Peter and Pfensig Sylvia},
journal = {Current Directions in Biomedical Engineering},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1515/cdbme-2026-0230},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1515/cdbme-2026-0230},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Design and Implementation of an Inline Coater for Solvent-Based Polyurethane Microelectrode Insulation
AU - Siewert Stefan
AU - Thiesen Alexander
AU - Tetzlaff Lucas
AU - Reske Thomas
AU - Meent Henk van de
AU - Schmitz Klaus-Peter
AU - Pfensig Sylvia
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/26
JO - Current Directions in Biomedical Engineering
DO - 10.1515/cdbme-2026-0230
UR - https://doi.org/10.1515/cdbme-2026-0230
AB - The growing use of microelectrodes in medical technology requires scalable manufacturing processes for high-quality, reproducible, and biocompatible insulation layers. This need is particularly evident in advanced neuroprosthetic systems for upper-limb amputees, where reliable neural and muscular interfaces are essential for intuitive control of bionic prostheses. Current developments aim to integrate electrode-equipped, osseointegrated implants capable of bidirectional communication with the neuromuscular system. Conventional batch coating techniques for microelectrodes often struggle to achieve consistent coating properties at industrial scale. In this work, we present the design and implementation of an inline coater for the continuous deposition of solvent-based polyurethane layers on fine metallic wires. The automated system enables controlled withdrawal of wires from a polymer solution, providing precise adjustment of coating thickness through key process parameters such as solution composition and withdrawal speed. First coating trials on microwires demonstrated homogeneous polyurethane insulation layers. Confocal laser scanning microscopy confirmed that the resulting film thickness correlates predictably with the selected process parameters, highlighting the potential of this approach for scalable production of durable and biocompatible wire insulation for medical applications.
SN - 2364-5504
ER -