Geith 2020 - ExpData

The experimental quantification and modeling of the multiaxial mechanical response of polymer membranes of coronary balloon catheters have not yet been carried out.

Due to the lack of knowledge of such a study, it is not known whether isotropic material models can describe the material response of balloon catheter membranes expanded with the nominal or an even higher pressure. Therefore, for the first time, specimens of commercial polyamide 12 balloon catheters membranes were observed by performing uniaxial and biaxial extension tests. The quasi-static and dynamic testing scenarios include rupture, relaxation, and equibixial testing procedures. Novel clamping techniques are described, which allow even to test tiny specimens taken from the balloon membranes. The results of this study reveal the semi-compliant, nonlinear, and viscoelastic character of polyamide 12 balloon catheter membranes.

Above nominal pressure, the membranes show a pronounced anisotropic mechanical behavior with a stiffer response in the circumferential direction.

The anisotropic feature intensifies with an increasing strain-rate. A modified polynomial model was applied to represent the realistic mechanical response of the balloon catheter membranes during dynamic biaxial extension tests.

This study also includes a compact set of constitutive model parameters for the use of the proposed model in future finite element analyses to perform more accurate simulations of expanding balloon catheters.

See the attached readme file for a description of the data.