Aspects of silicone rubber as an encapsulant for neurological prostheses. Part 1. Osmosis.

Silicone rubber is not, at first sight, a promising material with which to encapsulate a piece of implantable microelectronics expected to last ten or twenty years. It is well known to be very permeable to water. In fact, if correctly applied, it performs very well for ten years, possibly longer. The paper considers the part played by osmosis in achieving satisfactory performance combined with simple technology.