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US 12,005,154 B2Granted
Nerve repair conduits incorporating silica fibers
AssigneeAmerican Nano, LLC
InventorMitch Dellinger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention include nerve-repair conduits incorporating mats, sheets, and/or powders of silica fibers and methods for producing such conduits. The silica fibers may be formed via electrospinning of a sol gel produced with a silicon alkoxide reagent, such as tetraethyl ortho silicate, alcohol solvent, and an acid catalyst.
Claims34
A method of fabricating an artificial nerve conduit, the method comprising:
- electrospinning a sol-gel to form a mat of silica fibers, wherein the sol-gel is produced, at least in part, by ripening, for at least 2 days at a humidity of 40% to 80% and a temperature of 50° F. to 90° F., an initial sol comprising 70% to 90% tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS), 8% to 25% anhydrous ethanol, an acid catalyst, and water, wherein the initial sol is free of inorganic salts;
- and
- forming from at least a portion of the mat of silica fibers a tubular member defining a first opening configured to receive a first nerve portion and a second opening configured to receive a second nerve portion.
A method of fabricating an artificial nerve conduit, the method comprising:
- forming from electrospun silica fibers a tubular member defining a first opening configured to receive a first nerve portion and a second opening configured to receive a second nerve portion,
- wherein forming the tubular member comprises (i) electrospinning a sol-gel to form a mat of silica fibers, (ii) fragmenting the mat to form silica fiber powder, and (iii) pressing or molding at least a portion of the silica fiber powder.
A method of fabricating an artificial nerve conduit, the method comprising:
- forming electrospun silica fibers at least in part by (i) producing a sol-gel from an initial sol comprising 75% to 90% TEOS, 8% to 25% ethanol, an acid catalyst, and water, and (ii) electrospinning the sol-gel, wherein the initial sol is free of inorganic salts;
- and
- forming from the electrospun silica fibers a tubular member defining a first opening configured to receive a first nerve portion and a second opening configured to receive a second nerve portion,
- wherein forming the tubular member comprises pressing the electrospun silica fibers and/or a powder derived from the electrospun silica fibers.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.