Platinum-cured silicone resin: Rising demand in pharma, biotech and medical industries

Vinay Pandey, B-Tech Rubber Technologist,Ami Polymer explains that silicone rubber is the most widely used polymer in pharma and biotech industries due to its inherent properties like biocompatibility and inertness to cells/human tissues

- Vinay Pandey

Polymer industries have been serving pharmaceutical industries through various polymeric product compositions to meet critical requirements of food, pharma and biotech industries.

Silicone resin formulations very easily meet with FDA and USP requirements with ultra low extractable and leachable properties.

Silicone rubber is the most widely used polymer in pharma and biotech industries due to its inherent properties like biocompatibility and inertness to cells/human tissues.

Every product puts a demand on the material used, but none so more than the medical industry.

In terms of meeting both the regulatory requirement and performance, the answer is thermosetting liquid silicone rubber (LSR).

Let's try to understand world of silicone rubber used for healthcare products intended in pharma and biotech applications.

Overview of silicone rubber chemistry

Silicone Rubber is chemically known as PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane). It contains Si-O Backbone Structure in polymeric chain, which is responsible for its superior performance as mentioned below:

Flexibility at lower temperature up to - 80°C

High heat resistance up to 250°C.

Greater weather and oxidative resistance

Key properties of product made of silicone resin