Applications
- Surgical instrument handles/grips
- Dental instrument handles/grips
- Orthopedic implants
- Pacemaker leads
- Endoscopic housing/eyepieces
- Sterilization trays/caddies
- X-ray and MRI parts
- Dialysis machines housings
- Respiratory units
- Pharmaceutical production/packaging
- Fluid distribution-valve housings/nozzles
- IV and infusion devices
- Diagnostic systems
- Feeding tubes
- Catheters
Advantages
- Low manufacturing costs
- Low friction and wear
- Lightweight
- Resistant to high temperature, impact, chemicals
- Color coding options
- Easy to create ergonomic designs
- Maintains physical properties under thermal, chemical or electrical stress
- Good strength, toughness and hardness
- Can handle repeated sterilization
- Antimicrobial options
- Excellent wear properties
- Low-friction performance
- High purity
- Meets health regulations
- Meets precise dimensions
- Abrasion and shatter resistant
- Excellent thermal and oxidative stability
Materials
- Acetal Copolymer (POM)
- Cyclic Olefin Copolymer (COC)
- Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate (EVA)
- Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP)
- Polycarbonate (PC)
- Polyetheretherketone (PEEK)
- Polyethylene (PE)
- Polyetherimide (PEI)
- Polyphenyl Oxide (PPO)
- Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS)
- Polysulfone (PSU)
- Polyphenylsulfone (PPSU)
- Polypropylene (PP)
- Polysulfone (PSU)
- Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
- PVC/Acrylic Alloy Sheet
- Silicone (SI)
- Styrene Acrylonitrile Copolymer (SAN)
- Styrene Maleic Anhydride-Copolymer (SMA-PC)
- Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE)
- Thermoplastic Polyester (PBT)
- Thermoset Composite (Phenolics)
- Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMW-PE)
Did you know?
Intravenous technology was first published in 1883 by Dr. Thomas Latta during a cholera epidemic in Britain. The standard IV use of saline solutions did not begin until 1902.
Sustainability Advantages of Performance Plastics
Waste Reduction
- An infrared thermometer made from performance plastics could reduce more than 150,000,000 plastic caps in hospital waste every year.
- Upcycled PBT, used in healthcare, reduces global warming impact by 29%, has 43% less cumulative energy demand, and consumes 15% less water than virgin PBT. This process also converts waste plastic to high-quality resin, reducing CO2 emissions.
Material Comparisons
- A 330 ml plastic pill bottle contains around 18 grams of plastic. In contrast, a glass bottle can weigh 190-250 grams. Transporting these heavier glass bottles needs up to 40% more energy, leading to higher greenhouse gas emissions and up to 5 times the transport costs.
- Performance plastics weigh 1/4th of some metals. This lighter weight for medical tools and devices increases comfort and minimizes fatigue during surgeries.
Sustainability & Efficiency
Compared to metals, plastic medical tools are a more sustainable choice. Their carbon footprint is lower, making a net-zero annual CO2 equivalent emission feasible compared to metal tools. For instance, injection molding with plastic has a lower energy requirement than metal.