New-age Solutions For The Medical Sector

Medical-grade plastic and specialty chemical manufacturers are unveiling innovative health care products that promise flexibility combined with strength, upgraded radio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled tagsfor small to medium containers and brilliant coloured latex gloves that meet US/EU safety standards.

- Doddie Householder

Teknor Apex Company recently launched its new series of Medalist® compounds that are flexible over a wide range of temperatures with weldable and heat-sealable properties. Avery Dennison introduced its latest RFID inlay label products to help health care companies in their inventory and supply management needs. As a leading supplier of colourants dedicated to latex applications, Clariant offers cost effective pigment solutions that meet US and Europe compliance regulations.

Elastic and durable tubing

The new series of Medalist medical grade thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) compounds for peristaltic pump tubing from Teknor Apex provides not only elasticity over a broad temperature range, but also enables the tubing to withstand the stresses of pump action over time. The Teknor Apex TPE is weldable and heat-sealable unlike silicone. Targeted for the biotech and pharmaceutical industries for medical infusion systems and dialysis machines, Medalist comes in clear, translucent and opaque grades of tubing.

In terms of spallation, Medalist TPEs exhibit the lower levels compared to other TPEs. Spallation is the shedding of particles in tubing’s inner surface. This is caused by the wear and tear of repeated compression and release during pump operation. Teknor Apex TPEs are augmented by elasticity that enables the tubing to match the rapid pump action. This, combined with longer durability, ultimately allows it to retain its original shape and survive prolonged exposure to regular pump series action.

Apart from exhibiting low level of extractables, Medalist compounds are versatile and compatible with a host of chemicals. The specialty elastomer is made sterile either by e-beam, gamma or ethylene oxide. For bio pharmaceutical applications that require extreme low temperature requirements, the company offers specialty grades to address these prerequisites.