Views: 142 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2022-01-30 Origin: Site
Medical grade polymers are important materials used in today’s healthcare system. They are specifically designated for various medical uses and have great compatibility with many medical devices. The continuous development of medical grade polymers upgrades medical products and makes them much more durable and safer. There are many types of medical grade polymers, and not all of them are the same. In this article, we will introduce you to some common medical grade polymers and their applications and benefits in the medical field.
According to market data, about 25% of medical plastic products are made from PVC for low cost, wide application, and easy processability. PVC is a popular medical grade polymer, and can be made into medical products like blood packs and vessels, catheters, dialysis equipment, mouthpieces and masks, oxygen delivery equipment, laboratory instruments, catheters, equipment packaging materials, etc.
As a medical grade polymer, polyvinyl chloride is mainly used for its thermal stability, which protects the overheating phenomenon during processing and protects against thermal damage or processing with an autoclave.
Polypropylene has high transparency, good barrier properties, and radiation resistance, making it an ideal medical grade polymer for medical equipment and packaging industries. Medical-grade polypropylene manufacturers often consider polypropylene as a competitor to PVC or other medical grade polymer. Generally, PP is used for medical products like transparent plastic covers, flexible pouches, syringes, tubing, medical processors, test tubes, beakers, etc. Medical-grade polypropylene can be co-extruded, blown, or made into films like other processing materials.
Polyethylene is another common medical grade polymer. There are several modified types of medical PE, including HDPE, LDPE, and UHMWPE. High-density PE(HDPE) is characterized by its low cost, low friction, chemical resistance, and easy molding. It is widely used in medical tubing, making it a solid competitor to PVC. Besides, HDPE is also used for medicine packages, while low-density polyethylene(LDPE) is used in sterile transparent plastic covers for pharmaceutical packaging. Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has excellent properties like high impact strength, low wear resistance, stress crack resistance, and good energy absorption, making it an ideal material for artificial hip, knee, and shoulder connectors.
Thermoplastic polyurethane has good transparency, high strength and tear properties, chemical resistance, and abrasion resistance. What’s more, the TPU resin also has a wide range of hardness, smooth surface, anti-fungal and microorganisms, and high water resistance stability. These advantages make TPU ideally used for medical tubing, oxygen masks, catheters, drug delivery devices, IV connectors, the rubber ball of blood pressure gauge, and wound wraps.
Polysulfone has high-temperature resistance and can be sterilized by various methods. Polyethersulfone(PES) is a typical member of the sulfone family, a high-performance engineering resin that can be used continuously at a very high temperature while maintaining stability. PES has high strength and chemical resistance, making it commonly used for vacuum-forming medical instruments, cold sterilizers, disinfectants, and bactericides containers for sterilization. PES is also applied to surgical tools and microporous membranes. Polyphenylene sulfide, also known as polyphenylene ether sulfone, can be repeatedly steam sterilized and is resistant to acid and alkali. Its typical application is sterile boxes, surgical tools, and fluid touch equipment.
Polyphenylene sulfide has excellent dimensional stability, stiffness, and hardness, and it can be repeatedly sterilized exposed to strong disinfectants without damage. Thus, it has replaced metal in drug release equipment that requires precise mechanical factors.
Thermoplastic elastomers have softness like rubber, and at the same time, they can be processed by traditional molding and extrusion methods. TPE has high-temperature resistance, and a certain type of TPE can be used between -40°C and 121°C. Moreover, it has excellent properties like solvent resistance, oil resistance, acid, and alkali dilution resistance. Commonly, TPE can be used for medical hoses, stoppers, rubber balls of blood pressure gauge, and IV bags.
Polyetheretherketone, or PEEK, like PES, is also a high-performance engineering resin with a wide range of medical applications and can be used continuously at high temperatures of 260°C with stable performance when exposed to hot temperatures, water, or steam. PEEK also has high dimensional stability, high impact strength, and tensile strength. PEEK can be used for medical implant devices and the smallest surgical implantable tubes, such as implanted support tubes for cardiac arteries, and other applications like catheters, drug delivery devices, surgical tools, and endoscopes.
Polima is a high-tech company specialized in manufacturing high-performance engineering plastic PES (polyethersulfone). Our PES resin can be used for medical, industry, water filteration, and many other fields. If you want to learn more about our products, welcome to contact us at office@polima.com.cn.