Medical Design Briefs - January 2024 - 30

Design Briefs
quaternary ammonium compounds used
in healthcare settings. In addition, the
new LNP ELCRES CRX products can
protect home diagnostic applications
such as wearable devices when exposed to
harsh chemicals used in sunscreen, hand
cream and insect repellent.
Thermoplastics that can withstand
multiple sterilization cycles also help
to extend the useful life of devices. ULTEM
HU1004 resin maintains its tensile
strength, ductility, and color stability in
hydrogen peroxide plasma sterilization
systems such as STERRAD, as well as
gamma irradiation and steam systems
(see Figure 3).
Materials with high impact resistance
can help prevent damage to expensive
devices from being dropped, banged, or
mishandled during shipment or everyday
usage. Even thin-wall components
can resist damage if they are molded
from a specialty thermoplastic with enhanced
impact properties (a balance of
ductility and stiffness).
Many medical, surgical, and dental
devices are exposed to strong UV light,
which can cause embrittlement, reduced
mechanical strength, and discoloration.
Wearables such as insulin pumps may also
be exposed to outdoor UV light during
everyday patient usage. Thermoplastics
with good UV resistance can maintain
their performance and aesthetic properties
under prolonged exposure. ULTEM
resin provides up to two times better
UV-C resistance than polysulfone-based
materials, as well as excellent color retention
compared to competitive high-temperature
thermoplastics.
Conclusion
Medical device manufacturers have
many options for improving the sustainability
of their products and are under
increasing regulatory and reputational
pressure to do so. High-performance,
specialized thermoplastic materials offer
multiple solutions to the challenges
of emissions reduction, waste avoidance,
and service life extension.
SABIC's Specialties Business, for example,
is helping medical device customers
by expanding its portfolio of
healthcare materials with bio-based
(certified renewable) and recycled
grades, offering design guidance and
performance data, and enhancing
key properties such as chemical and
impact resistance. Specialty thermoplastics
have a critical role to play in
a holistic approach when creating diagnostic
devices and wearables that
deliver longer service life, lower system
costs, and reduced environmental
impact. By choosing these materials,
device manufacturers can pursue new
opportunities to create products that
contribute to the healthcare industry's
sustainability goals.
This article was written by Nithin
Raikar, Senior Business Manager,
LNP™ Global Product Management;
and Manish Nandi, Senior Business Development
Manager, SABIC's Specialties
Business, Houston, TX. Contact:
specialties@sabic-hpp.com. For more
information, visit www.sabic.com.
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Medical Design Briefs, January 2024
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Medical Design Briefs - January 2024

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