GREATER LOW-TEMPERATURE TOUGHNESS THAN PVC AND PROVIDE UP TO 30% WEIGHT SAVINGS IN MEDICAL BAGS AND POUCHES

22-Jan-18

Medical-grade thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) developed for cold-storage bags and pouches exhibit low-temperature toughness superior to that of PVC, weigh less at comparable film gauges, and open the possibility of running thinner products without sacrificing performance. Teknor Apex Company will introduce the compounds at MD&M West (Booth 2014).

Medalist® compounds for low-temperature film are 70% as dense as PVC, with a typical specific gravity of 0.90. At the same time they exhibit greater toughness in cold-storage applications, with brittle points as low as -60 °C, as against -40 °C for PVC. This greater toughness introduces the possibility of down-gauging from standard thicknesses or replacing multi-layer structures with monolayer films. The new Medalist compounds exhibit tensile and tear strength properties comparable to those of PVC and better moisture barrier.

“Our new TPEs for cold-storage bags and pouches combine the inherent low-temperature toughness of elastomers with the biocompatibility, processability, and cost-performance balance characteristic of all Medalist medical compounds,” said Ross van Royen, senior market manager of regulated products. “They enable medical manufacturers to achieve weight savings and other economies while still providing the same product performance as standard PVC.”

Teknor Apex produces Medalist compounds in ISO-13485 facilities in the USA and Singapore. The new materials are made with FDA listed ingredients, are certified to ISO 10993-5 standards for biocompatibility, and are REACH SVHC compliant. They are free of DEHP and other phthalates, BPA, and latex. Standard grades are ADM-free.