Bio-based Plexiglas aimed at disposable medical devices’ marketBio-based Plexiglas aimed at disposable medical devices’ market
New from plastics supplier Arkema is a bio-based Plexiglas (acrylic) marketed for use in medical devices. This new material builds on the company's launch earlier this year of its Plexiglas CR series of acrylic for use in transparent medical devices such as IV systems and syringes.
June 22, 2011
New from plastics supplier Arkema is a bio-based Plexiglas (acrylic) marketed for use in medical devices. This new material builds on the company's launch earlier this year of its Plexiglas CR series of acrylic for use in transparent medical devices such as IV systems and syringes.
Called Plexiglas Rnew, the new plastic is based on a patent-pending blend of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA, commonly called acrylic) and polylactic acid (PLA). This blend offers similar property characteristics as standard Plexiglas, reports Arkema, while incorporating high levels of carbon from renewable resources in the formulations. The higher bio-based content thus offers a "green" alternative to non-renewable high performance resins.
According to the supplier, the Plexiglas Rnew material is the first in a family of transparent thermoplastic polymers based on blends with PMMA that will be introduced, all of which are designed to reduce the carbon footprint of these high performance resins without sacrificing performance characteristics or physical properties.
The Rnew resin can be Gamma sterilized, showing no significant discoloration after exposure to 40K gray Gamma radiation. The material also is stable to other sterilization techniques, such as EtO and E-beam.
Arkema says it offers improved melt processability, plus increased toughness and impact resistance compared to standard acrylic grades. It can see use in applications such as diagnostics, lab ware, fluid suction, reservoir and fluid collection apparatus, and other general care devices. Its light transmittance is about 92%.
The supplier claims that the material's shear-thinning properties make it a good option for both thin-wall applications and complex multi-cavity molds.
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