Februar 08, 2019
Plastics Polymers Pharmapack 2019 MD&D West 2019

Trinseo Introduces Thermoplastic Elastomers for Medical Devices

Trinseo, a global materials solutions provider and manufacturer of plastics, latex binders and synthetic rubber, introduced its portfolio of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) for medical devices at two major industry shows: MD&M West in Anaheim, Calif. and Pharmapack EU in Paris. This portfolio of TPEs complements Trinseo’s traditional rigid plastics offering, making Trinseo a one-stop-shop for both hard and soft plastics.

Trinseo has supported the medical devices market for nearly three decades and is known for superior product quality, outstanding consistency, and a focus on customer compliancy requirements. The expanded portfolio enhances Trinseo’s offering with soft touch materials and overlays that are often needed with hard plastics.

TPEs can serve as a vinyl substitute. With their elastomeric composition, TPEs can allow better handling of medical devices and potentially increase performance, functionality, usability, and aesthetics, while helping to improve patient care and contribute to patient safety.

“We've brought together a very high quality portfolio of rigid plastics with TPEs that have been specifically formulated for the medical devices sector,” said Aldo Zanetti, business unit manager TPE Solutions - Medical & Packaging for Trinseo. “This move helps us meet the needs of medical customers, particularly as the industry addresses trends in health care that require medical devices and equipment that are more patient friendly and service provider friendly.”

Trinseo offers two styrenic block copolymers (TPSs) to the medical devices industry under the brands MEGOL™ and RAPLAN™. Materials are biocompatibility tested and available with full biocompatibility (MED) and limited testing approved for skin contact (SK), providing customers with the most economical material option, since not all medical devices require full biocompatibility.

Trinseo’s rigid plastics for medical devices include:
CALIBRE™ Polycarbonate (PC) – for fluid and drug delivery via syringes, stopcocks and luers.
CALIBRE™ (Glass-filled) PC-GF – for handles and housings of surgical devices.
EMERGE™ PC/ABS and PC/PET – for housings and covers of monitoring devices.
MAGNUM™ ABS – for portable device housings i.e. diabetes management equipment, glucose meters, pumps and insulin pens.

Source: Trinseo