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AssigneeBoston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
InventorsFrederick H. Strickler, Barron Tenney, Mark Boden
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In accordance with an aspect of the invention, methods of forming medical articles are provided, which comprise (a) preparing a melt phase that comprises a molten polymer and a supercritical fluid, (b) forming a polymeric region from the melt phase, and (c) cooling the polymeric region. In certain embodiments, the supercritical fluid is formed from chemical species (e.g., CO2, propane, etc.) that are gases at room temperature (25° C.) and atmospheric pressure (1 atm). According to another aspect of the present invention, medical articles are provided which comprise melt-processed polymeric materials. The polymeric materials have a composition that cannot be melt processed without the use of melt-viscosity reducing additives due to thermal degradation, and yet the polymeric material does not contain such additives.
A method of forming a medical article comprising (a) preparing a melt phase that comprises a molten polymer and a supercritical fluid, (b) forming a polymeric region from the melt phase and (c) cooling the polymeric region.
The method of claim 4, wherein the melt viscosity of less than 60 Pa-s cannot be obtained by heating the material in the absence of a viscosity-reducing additive without thermal degradation of the polymer occurring.
A medical article comprising a melt processed polymeric material, said polymeric material containing no melt-viscosity reducing additives, and said polymeric material having a composition that cannot be melt processed without the use of melt-viscosity reducing additives.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.