Elastomers help reduce color usage, eliminate predrying

A new series of thermo-plastic vulcanizate (TPV) elastomers reportedly enables molders of medical devices and healthcare products to boost quality and reduce costs while obtaining the same high levels of strength and elasticity as those provided by conventional TPVs.

Trade named the Uniprene 7010 series, the compounds are nearly identical to advanced Uniprene materials recently introduced for general industrial applications but have been formulated with ingredients that conform to 21 CFR for medical and food-contact uses. Thus far, molders are using the TPVs for overmolded plugs in surgical cables and for plunger tips in syringes.

The elastomers reduce or eliminate predrying requirements because they absorb lower levels of moisture. They also can be colored more readily because they exhibit less yellowness in natural grades. According to the manufacturer, in tests of moisture absorption, two Uniprene grades exhibited moisture pickup of .024 and .026 percent respectively?both well below the .080 figure widely cited as the threshold above which drying is required.

By comparison, a widely used competitive TPV showed .214 moisture pickup. Also, yellowness indices for a Uniprene grade and the conventional TPV were 28.42 and 41.55 respectively. Pricing information on the Uniprene 7010 series compounds is not yet available.

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