Plastics

Quick Facts

• Essentially a melt-process version of Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)
• More transparent than PTFE
• Better gas and vapor permeability properties than PTFE
• Maximum operating temperature +204 °C / +400 °F
• Melting point +260 °C / +500 °F
• Can be sterilized with EtO, gamma radiation, an autoclave and electron beam
• Can be extruded or used as a coating

Typical Medical Applications: Labware and tubing where highly corrosive processes are used.

Products Available: Tubing and coatings

About FEP

Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene (FEP) is a copolymer of hexafluropropylene and tetrafluroethylene and differs from PTFE in that it is melt-processable using injection molding and screw extrusion techniques. Providing low friction, it is inert to most chemicals and is also highly transparent and resistant to sunlight. FEP is slightly more flexible than PTFE but has higher friction and lower tensile strength.

Quick Facts

• Excellent media resistance to most lyes and acids throughout the entire pH range
• Compatible with oils, greases, acids, alkalis, solvents, refrigerants, water and steam
• High residual stress
• Resistant to cold flow
• High mechanical resistance
• Wide temperature range from cryogenic to +316°C / +600°F
• Unlimited shelf life
• Excellent leakage properties – meeting German fugitive emission regulation TA Luft
• Compliance with FDA 177.1550 Perfluorocarbon regulation

Typical Medical Applications: Wheelchair hub bearings, actuators, valve seats, reciprocating and oscillating applications

Products Available: Bearings, Flatseal™, Slydring®, Wear Rings, Back-up Rings, Custom Shapes

About HiMod®

HiMod® refers to a range of high-modulus plastic materials that Trelleborg Medical Solutions has developed for applications demanding high wear and chemical resistance performance. The materials also exhibit low friction performance through the use of a unique balance of internal lubricants and wear inhibiting agents. These materials can be machined or injection molded, providing engineers the design freedom to develop the most economical manufacturing method.

The HiMod® Flatseal™ range consists of flat gaskets from the proprietary HiMod® material offering superior performance compared with conventional polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) flat gaskets. They are compliant with virtually all relevant standards including FDA. The product is die cut and is available in any standard or customer specified dimension. The HiMod® Flatseal™ products are manufactured in facilities that comply with ISO/TS 16949 and ISO 14001, meaning complete transparency in all degrees of production and a high degree of reliability and security for customers.

Quick Facts

• Tubing material typically used in many disposable medical devices
• Available in Nylon 6, 6-6, 11, 12, 612 and Pebax
• Good abrasion resistance
• Low friction
• Good heat resistance
• Good chemical resistance to oil, greases, solvents, and detergents
• Can be machined or extruded

Typical Medical Applications: Catheters, fluid dispensing, laboratory use

Products Available: Tubing

About Nylon

Nylons are a family of synthetic polymers known as polyamides. They can be used to make mechanical parts such as gears and screws, and can also be extruded. Nylons are lightweight and resistant to corrosion and abrasion. FDA and USP Class VI grades are available. Medical tubing applications include suction, drainage, feeding tubes, dialysis, peristaltic pumps and other surgical procedures.

Quick Facts

• Maximum continuous operating temperature of +249 °C/ +480 °F
• Melting temperature +340 °C / +644 °F
• High mechanical strength (Tensile Strength 90-100 MPa / 13,000-14,500 psi)
• Glass transition temperature +143 °C / +289 °F
• Can be extruded or injection molded
• Good mechanical properties
• Excellent chemical resistance

Typical Medical Applications: Pistons, pumps, valves, fluid transfer

Products Available: Bearings, springs, tubing, custom shapes

About PEEK

Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK) is a good choice for applications where fluid compatibility is a concern. It is virtually inert and has good mechanical properties, providing low friction and wear. High strength, toughness and biocompatibility make PEEK ideal for many medical device applications.

Quick Facts

• Tubing material typically used in many disposable medical devices
• Suitable for use in temperatures up to +140 °C / +284 °F
• Can be extruded as single or multi-lumen tubing
• USP Class VI grades available
• Not suitable for situations that require heat stability

Typical Medical Applications: Catheters, peristaltic pumps, fluid transfer, oxygen transfer

Products Available: Tubing

About PVC

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is available in rigid and flexible forms. PVC can be extruded in a wide range of durometers and colors to meet virtually any need. Medical grade PVC tubing is resistant to many chemicals, solvents, corrosion and has a long life expectancy. It is also resistant to most sterilization methods. It’s extremely smooth surface provides maximum fluid flow characteristics, reducing sediment build up which could lead to bacterial growth.

Quick Facts

• Tubing typically used in pharmaceutical, biotech and medical applications
• Weldable and heat-sealable
• FDA and USP Class VI compliant materials available
• Lower permeability than silicone
• Maximum operating temperature +135 °C / +275 °F
• Can be sterilized with gamma or an autoclave

Typical Medical Applications: Single-use systems, peristaltic pumps, bioreactors, sterile filling and filtration

Products Available: Tubing

About TPE

 Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE) are a copolymer mixture of a rubber and a plastic and exhibit properties of both materials. TPEs require virtually no compounding, reinforcing agents, stabilizers or curing agents, providing consistent batch to batch properties. When extruded into tubing, the material is translucent, flexible, resists kinking, making it ideally suited for pumping and fluid transfer applications.

Quick Facts:

• Compatible with virtually all media
• Excellent friction, slide properties and no stick-slip
• Operating temperatures from -253 °C to +260 °C / -423 °F to +500 °F
• Long service life, high sealing efficiency
• High wear resistance, minimal creep and permeation
• Compliances with FDA, 3-A, USP Class VI, EC 1935/2004; EU 10/2011

Typical Medical Applications: Static, reciprocating and rotary applications, applications with low downtime requirements (serum and pharmaceutical production), mixed process streams in multipurpose equipment's, CIP & SIP cleaning regimes, low and high temperature applications

Products Available:

• O-Rings
• Variseal®
• Varilip® PDR

About Turcon®

Inherently, Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is compatible with almost all chemicals, making it ideal for use in equipment where seals are likely to be exposed to aggressive media, including CIP and SIP regimes. Specific operating properties are achieved by the addition of fillers and special processing technologies.

Incomparable Material Range

Turcon® compounds have very good slide properties with low-friction and no stick-slip, provide high sealing efficiency and a long service life, meet demanding service conditions and provide high-flexibility for easy installation. Our wide variety of Turcon® formulations ensures that we will have just the right material to meet the specific needs of our customers’ healthcare and medical applications.

Quick Facts

• Operating temperatures from -196 °C to +80 °C / -321 °F to +176 °F
• Compliance with FDA, 3-A, USP Class VI, EC 1935/2004; EU 10/2011
• Compatible with water-based and alkaline cleaning agents, steam cycles below +115 °C / +239 °F
• High wear resistance
• Low compression set

Typical Medical Applications: Reciprocating and oscillating applications

Products Available: O-Rings, Wipers, Variseals®, Glyd Rings®, and Pneumatic Seals.

About Zurcon®

Zurcon® is the brand name for the Trelleborg Sealing Solutions range of engineered plastic-based materials. Its low friction characteristics make it ideal for reciprocating, very slow rotating and oscillating situations where high wear resistance is required.