Wire and Cable TPE Compounds withstand rigors of clinical use.
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Press Release Summary:
Featuring Shore A hardness levels of 92, 69, and 82, respectively, Medalist® 8421, 8431, and 8451 combine rubber-like flexibility with high degree of purity to meet stringent medical standards. Thermoplastic elastomers have UL-9 flammability classification and max continuous operating temperature of 105°C. Suitable for insulation, jacketing, and molded fittings/connectors, products retain tensile strength, tensile modulus, and elongation after autoclave, gamma irradiation, and EtO sterilization.
Original Press Release:
High-Purity Medical Elastomers for Wire and Cable withstand Rigors of Clinical Use and Enhance Handling during Procedures
New Medalist® Compounds from Teknor Apex Provide Practical Alternatives to PVC
PAWTUCKET, RI, U.S.A. -- Three new thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) wire and cable compounds from Teknor Apex Company combine the rubber-like durability and flexibility valued by hospital and clinical professionals and the high degree of purity required for meeting stringent medical standards, the company announced today. Teknor Apex will introduce the compounds at Interwire 2013 (Booth 406).
Medalist® 8421, 8431, and 8451 elastomers can be used for insulation, jacketing, and molded fittings and connectors. They have Shore A hardness levels of 92, 69, and 82, respectively, a flammability classification of HB (UL-94), and a maximum continuous operating temperature rating of 105 ºC (UL-1581). The three compounds retain high levels of tensile strength, tensile modulus, and elongation after autoclave, gamma irradiation, and EtO sterilization. They are resistant to the cleaning solutions commonly used in medical facilities.
The new TPEs are analogs to specific Elexar® non-medical wire and cable compounds from Teknor Apex and provide comparable properties, but they are manufactured in an ISO-13485 facility dedicated to Medalist medical elastomers. Medalist® 8421, 8431, and 8451 compounds pass ISO-10993-5 cytotoxicity testing, are RoHS- and REACH- compliant, and are free of animal-derived materials, phthalates, and latex proteins.
“The new Medalist elastomers for wire and cable provide rubber-like toughness and elasticity and, unlike rubber, are readily recycled,” said Keith Saunders, senior market manager for the Thermoplastic Elastomer Division of Teknor Apex. “As alternatives to PVC, Medalist compounds exhibit practical handling advantages in surgical or clinical settings, including superior ‘drapability’ for reduced cable clutter, better elastic memory in coil cords, and a softer, more supple feel.” Â
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MEDALIST® THERMOPLASTIC MEDICAL ELASTOMERS make up a broad array of high-purity styrenic, olefinic, vulcanizate, and alloy compounds. Hardness offerings range from ultra soft gels at 25 Shore OO to hard yet ductile compounds at 85 Shore D. Teknor Apex can further broaden customer options by customizing the surface aesthetics, haptics, clarity, and color. An expandable registered binder on Medalist products provides a comprehensive body of test data and resources for designers and processors and is available to qualified professionals in the medical device and healthcare product industries. It can be requested from the Medalist website at www.medalistmd.com or by emailing Teknor Apex at medalist@teknorapex.com.Â
The Thermoplastic Elastomer Division of TEKNOR APEX COMPANY is the most diversified manufacturer of TPEs, offering broad product families based on six generically distinct chemistries. Headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, U.S.A., the division compounds TPEs at eight locations in the U.S., Europe, and Asia and is an international supplier to the appliance, automotive, construction, medical-device, wire and cable, and other consumer and industrial product industries. Other plastics businesses of Teknor Apex include the Bioplastics, Nylon, Specialty Compounding, and Vinyl Divisions and Teknor Color Company. Visit www.teknorapex.com.
