Creation of Low Friction Protein Film for Mechanical Seal of Next-Generation Assistant Heart

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H06517
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Design engineering/Machine functional elements/Tribology
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Kanda Koki 東北大学, 工学研究科, 助教 (60803731)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-08-25 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: バイオトライボロジー / 血漿タンパク質 / 変性 / 血漿タンパク質吸着

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It was found that albumin solution can decrease friction coefficient compared to saline water when DN gel was used as one of friciton pair, on the other hand, when hard SiC pair was investigated, friction coefficient increased as soon as contact region was surrounded by albumin solution. On SiC disk, natve-rich protein film was formed when DN gel was used. These experimental results clearly indicates DN gel suppressed denaturation of plasma protein due to its elastic and hydrophilic property.
Also, albumin and fibrinogen show different friction property due to adsorption property of each plasma protein. Statically-adsorbed albumin is easily removed by friction while that of fibrinogen is not removed, in addition, adsorbed amount of fibrinogen is reinforced by friction. Furthermore, fibriongen and mixed solution realizes lower friction coefficient than albumin. Therefore it is suggested that interaction between plasma proteins is key factor to achieve low friction.

Free Research Field

トライボロジー

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は摩擦条件下において形成される血漿タンパク膜の形成機構や，膜を構成する血漿タンパク質同士の相互作用に着目している．さらにDNゲルの導入により変性抑制条件下での摩擦試験を可能としており，血漿タンパク膜による低摩擦発現条件の解明にも寄与する．これは低摩擦を長期的に発現する補助人工心臓用メカニカルシールのしゅう動面設計指針提案のための基礎的な研究である．また他の人工臓器の摩擦特性向上のための知見となる．