Q&A – Removing silicone oil from tubing
What is the best process for removing silicone oil from a catheter made of Pebax® tubing prior to a bonding operation? Would you use plasma or corona?
Your question is one that we are seeing more frequently. And the short answer is that it all depends on the amount of oil.
If you can see a significant oil collection, then you need to wash the tubing in an ultrasonic bath with an emulsifier. Then, you may simply wipe the tubing with an alcohol wipe to remove any excess. It really depends on the level of contamination. Generally speaking, I’ve found that catheters have a superficial level of oil.
If the amount of oil is superficial, plasma can carry away the excess oil via a specific oxygen treatment. We do not advise corona treatment for this application, since it can make the silicone hydrophilic and give a false impression of being clean. Plasma is a more elegant solution and will “superclean” the surface to promote better adhesion. Learn how we recently solved this challenge.
Tags: Corona, plasma, plasma surface modification, Surface Modification, surface technology
