New oxygen barrier technology for healthcare packaging and delivery systems

09-Jul-07

A new oxygen barrier technology for healthcare packaging and delivery systems has been announced by GLS Corporation. This ultra-clean TPE technology provides high oxygen barrier performance that is up to ten times better than conventional TPEs and equivalent to traditional thermoset butyl rubber. At the same time, it delivers the exceptional design freedom and potential for part consolidation of thermoplastics. Further, the ability to injection-mold TPEs streamlines manufacturing and improves consistency by eliminating secondary operations required with thermosets. TPEs can improve upon traditional barrier packaging materials. By eliminating the use of halogens and heavy metals used in curing thermoset rubber, the new TPEs avoid the risk of leaching into the contents of medical containers or contamination of clean systems, which are increasingly used for disposable devices. In drug-contact applications, the TPEs are very inert and demonstrate an extremely low level of extractables and leachables meeting Japanese Pharmacopeia Chapter 59. TPEs also provide enhanced design flexibility. They can be processed using high-pressure injection molding, which helps in thin-wall parts and complex geometries, as well as extrusion and blow molding. While thermoset rubbers need reinforcing fillers that limit them in physical attributes such as clarity and density, TPE's do not require fillers and can be reinforced using plastics. This allows them to maintain lower specific gravity and clarity/translucence. The oxygen barrier TPEs will bond to a polypropylene substrate, permitting overmolding that opens up many opportunities for part consolidation and design innovation. Further, TPEs can improve the safety and consistency of the final packaging of the product. Injection molding is a one-step process, whereas producing thermosets requires three or four steps - compression molding, trimming, washing, siliconizing, and sometimes manual assembly. Each step introduces the possibility of compromised quality, which can add up to wide variations in the finished product for packaging. No matter how many precautions are put in place, complaints are often generated about contamination found in the end product.