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Updated: Jul 2, 2026
Protocol for Relative Hydrodynamic Assessment of Tri-leaflet Polymer Valves
Published on: October 17, 2013
A phospholipid-modified polystyrene-polyisobutylene-polystyrene (SIBS) triblock polymer for enhanced
Nandini Duraiswamy1, Tejas D Choksi, Leonard Pinchuk
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA. ndura002@fiu.edu
Abstract:
Poly(styrene-block-isobutylene-block-styrene) ('SIBS') is selected for a novel tri-leaflet heart valve due to its high resistance to oxidation, hydrolysis, and enzyme attack. SIBS is modified using six different phospholipids and its mechanical properties characterized by tensile stress, peel strength, shear strength, contact angle, and surface energy, and then for hemocompatibility by studying the adhesion of fluorescently labeled platelets in a parallel plate chamber under physiological flow conditions. Phospholipid modification decreases SIBS tensile stress (at 45% strain) by 30% and reduces platelet adhesion by a factor of 10, thereby improving its hemocompatibility and its potential use as a synthetic heart valve.
