• "Ticona" has introduced FDA – compliant engineering resins for use in medical –technology applications such as drug-delivery systems, medical devices, and packaging. The new materials are said to resist strong disinfectant and many other chemical media offering toughness, rigidity, dimensional stability, and resistance to alkalis and hydrolysis.

• Solvay Advanced Polymers has developed a polysulfone grade to increase production efficiencies in the manufacture of membranes for medical filtration, water purification, and gas separation applications. The product is formulated to reduce the buildup of scale on pipes and vessels used in the membrane manufacturing process.

• Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics is offering Tygon® Medical Plasticizer – Free (MPF) Series Tubing to replace DEHP plasticizer PVC tubing in medical products such as catheters, surgical drains, and fluid and oxygen administration applications. The medical-grade, clear, non-PVC polymer tubing is available in several formulations for specific medical device applications: Tygon MPF-100-described as cost-effective tubing with excellent chemical resistance;Tygon plastic connetors; and Tygon MPF-500 – for peristaltic pump applications.

• Teknor Apex has introduced three new grades of calendered vinyl medical film that are said to provide the low-temperature and high-temperature performance required for such health-care products as the cold and hot packs used to relieve arthritis pain and in chiropractic therapy for tendon damage and other problems.

• A new PVC compound that prevents blood from clotting is under development by Teknor Apex and Vestolit GmbH & Co. The compound, which incorporates permanent anticoagulation properties in the PVC material, could be used for catheters, cardiopulmonary-bypass procesures, hemodialysis, wound drainage, blood collection and storage, and other applications, the company believes.

• Eastman Chemical Company has introduced Eastar® copolyester MN005, a high-flow, clear resin for the medical industry that offers significantly improved flow properties.

• Advanced Polymers, Inc. (API), has developed a line of polyurethane balloons as alternatives to latex and silicone for applications calling for occlusion, anchoring, and positioning a balloon or locating a device. The new balloons reportedly can be inflated by pressure or volume up to twice their original size and typically have burst pressures ranging from 0.5 to 10 ATM. The balloons are offered in a wide range of durometers to make them very soft and compliant to semi compliant.

• GLS corp. reports that its Dynaflex® G2706 thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) compound, made with Kraton® polymer, has been approved for use in applications requiring USP XIX Class VI Certification. An alternative to latex and other thermoset rubbers, the new grade features elastomeric properties and soft durometer. It contains no nitrosamines, phthalates, or PVC, says GLS.

• NuSil Technology has introduced a new family of self-lubricating liquid silicone rubbers for the health-care industry. Shortly after the material is molded, a proprietary silicone fluid appears on the surface of the cured elastomer to serve as a lubricant. Applications include septums, stoppers, O-rings, gaskets, valves, and seals.

• RTP Company has introduced antistatic compounds designed to boost mechanical or electrical properties in various applications that require protection from static build up. The new compounds are available in acrylic, ABS, clear ABS, acetal and polyethylene resin systems.

• GE silicons has announced two new high-performance liquid elastomers including a liquid elastomer formulated with barium sulfate for use in liquid injection molding applications where opacity to X-rays is desired. The elastomers meet the requirements of USP class VI testing. A two-component liquid injection molding silicone offers primerless adhesion to a wide variety of substrates including metals and many engineering plastics, making it a suitable material for two-shot or insert over-molding applications.

• Foster Corp. offers nanocomposite nylons that offer a substantial increase in rigidity and stiffness without brittleness while maintaining a high degree of the base polymer’s inherent elongation. The material is recommended for thin-wall applications such as tubing and film.

• BASF has developed a plasticizer for PVC and other polar polymers for use in medical and other applications that are sensitive from a toxicological perspective. The plasticizer is a colorless and nearly anhydrous liquid that is soluble in the usual organic solvents and miscible and compatible with all monomeric plasticizers commonly used in PVC.

• Cyro Industries offers a new acrylic multipolymer said to exhibit excellent resistance to alcohol, isopropanol, and lipids in blood; and improved clarity, impact, ductility, and optics after gamma sterilization.

• Lendell Manufacturing, Inc. (LMI), a producer of speciality polyurethane foams, has announced that it is actively seeking regulatory approval for a new foam with a cell size and structure specifically designed to absorb wound exudates, inhibit protein binding, and facilitate wound healing, while maximizing patient comfort. LMI and Milliken Chemical have jointly developed another product that incorporates an antimicrobial dispersed throughout polyurethane foam for use as an absorbent wound dressing.

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