Bayer MaterialScience LLC develops medical grade of polycarbonate resin with improved flow and release
The UltraSafe Passive® Needle Guard (X100L) from Safety Syringes Inc., pictured here, utilizes Makrolon® Rx1851 resin from Bayer MaterialScience LLC.
To meet a growing demand in the healthcare market, Bayer MaterialScience LLC has developed a new medical grade of polycarbonate resin that offers improved flow, lubricity and easy release characteristics.
Makrolon® Rx1851 polycarbonate, now commercially available, is a low-viscosity resin with enhanced internal mold release technology that provides increased design flexibility for complicated parts — those with shallow draft angles, and multi-cavity molds with long flow lengths, for example. Like other medical grades in Bayer MaterialScience LLC’s family of Makrolon® polycarbonate resins, it also exhibits an outstanding balance of strength, toughness and clarity.
“This new material provides improved cycle time efficiency, and excellent dimensional stability over a broad end use temperature range,” said Kevin Dunay, consumer & medical market segment leader, Polycarbonates NAFTA, Bayer MaterialScience LLC. “The good news for molders and captive OEMs is that the superior release properties of Makrolon® Rx1851 resin can lead to reduced cycle time, increased capacity, and potential cost savings,” he continued.
Potential applications for the new medical grade of polycarbonate include components of syringes, IV access systems, and cardiovascular devices. The internal mold release also improves the lubricity of the material. Because of its easy flow properties, this material is also well-suited for thin-wall medical applications, a growing area in the healthcare market.
The new grade meets certain test requirements of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-modified version of ISO 10993, Part 1 “Biological Evaluation of Medical Devices” with human tissue contact time of 30 days or less. This is the widely accepted standard for biocompatibility. Certain color formulations of the new grade also meet the requirements of the FDA-modified ISO 10993, Part I “Biological Evaluation of Medical Devices.” The resin is supplied in pellet form for injection-molded applications.
Makrolon® Rx1851 polycarbonate is the latest in a long line of material innovations from Bayer MaterialScience LLC. For almost 50 years, medical device OEMs and the healthcare market have relied on the proven materials and technical expertise of Bayer MaterialScience LLC. It’s a track record that began with the use of Makrolon® polycarbonate in the first blood oxygenators and renal dialyzers in the 1960s.
Bayer MaterialScience LLC is one of the leading producers of polymers and high-performance plastics in North America and is part of the global Bayer MaterialScience business with nearly 15,100 employees at 30 sites around the world and 2008 sales of 9.7 billion euros. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, electrical and electronics, construction, medical, and sports and leisure industries.
For more information about Bayer MaterialScience LLC’s Makrolon® Rx1851, call 1-800-662-2927, e-mail naftainfo@bayerbms.com or visit www.bayermaterialsciencenafta.com.
Source: Bayer MaterialScience
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