The focus of BASF’s booth at the Compamed tradeshow in Düsseldorf, Germany, is on the antimicrobial HyGentic product portfolio and its range of support services, and on a number of high-performance plastics for medical technology applications. BASF will be exhibiting its solutions from November 14 through 16, 2012, in Booth No. G28, Hall 08B.
HyGentic products feature excellent antimicrobial effects. BASF will present the most recent additions to the HyGentic product family at the tradeshow. HyGentic SBC is a transparent injection-moldable styrene butadiene block copolymer granulate material that contains antimicrobial silver ions. The granulate can be used directly to manufacture medical devices such as inhalers or ventilation filters.
HyGentic PA is an antimicrobial glass-fiber-reinforced, injection-moldable polyamide granulate that is exceptionally well suited to the production of operating elements for medical devices.
“These materials are exceptional in being extremely effective against a range of fungi and bacteria,” explained Edgar Eichholz, Business Development Manager Medical Device Materials, and added: “Moreover, medical devices produced with HyGentic products can be disinfected by conventional procedures.”
BASF is working on a broad range of solutions for medical device and equipment surfaces that durably prevent potentially hazardous microbial buildup. “Polymers and elastomers featuring our additives support the measures of professional hospital hygiene,” Eichholz said. This minimizes the risk that medical devices manufactured from these products will contribute to microbe propagation.
BASF’s medical devices team at the research and development center in Tarrytown, New York, has the expertise, instruments, equipment and lab facilities to produce customized application-focused formulations. The team tests these formulations for antimicrobial effectiveness and incorporates them into a variety of materials that are adjusted for use on the equipment available.
“The selective combination of organic and inorganic antimicrobial ingredients produces synergy effects and boosts the efficiency of the individual components,” Eichholz explained. In the formulations obtained in this way, the individual components will act longer, for example, or faster. A dedicated microbiology team checks the various formulations obtained for antimicrobial effectiveness against relevant microorganisms, including multiresistant pathogens like MRSA ( m ethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus).
BASF is also researching new generations of materials with novel surface effects that are of interest for medical devices and equipment, and offers cooperation opportunities for medical device manufacturers.
High-performance thermoplastics in medical technology
BASF’s plastics portfolio identified by the suffix “PRO,” which has been geared specifically to meet the needs of the medical technology industry, comprises two classes of materials: the Ultraform® PRO range (POM: polyoxymethylene; polyacetal) and Ultradur® B4520 PRO (PBT: polybutylene terephthalate). By way of customized individual product advantages, the tribological combination of plastic parts made of Ultraform PRO and Ultradur PRO translates into additional synergisms: for instance, insulin pens with excellent sliding friction properties can be produced with these materials. Here, Ultraform PRO accounts for low friction between the individual functional parts while Ultradur PRO, as the sliding member, reliably prevents annoying noises during use.
High-viscosity Ultraform® PRO and medical-grade Ultradur® PRO
Ultraform N2320 003 PRO is an injection-molding grade in the product range with a higher viscosity. Thanks to its high impact resistance and stiffness, this Ultraform N grade is just right for the manufacture of highly stressed elements such as functional parts in insulin pens, atomizing devices or dry-powder inhalers. On the other hand, the grade Ultraform H4320 PRO has been tailored specifically for processing by extrusion at high ejection speeds. It is highly viscous, even more impact-resistant while also being very stiff as well as strong, and it displays good thermal stability. Its target applications are plug-in connectors, handles of surgical instruments and other components that are made from semi-finished parts.
The material Ultradur B4520 PRO is BASF’s first PBT for injection-molded applications in medical technology. Here the well-known high dimensional stability of PBT has been further improved by adding optimized shrinkage behavior, so that this product now meets the stricter requirements in terms of reproducible dimensional accuracy made on components intended for medical devices. Most importantly, this material can be easily printed on and sterilized with ionizing gamma radiation or ethylene oxide.
Comprehensive service package for medical technology
Along with its plastics from the “PRO” family (PRO: profile covered raw materials only) BASF offers a comprehensive service package that has been adapted specifically to the requirements of medical technology. Aside from support relating to applications technology, this package entails the explicit commitment that no changes will be made in the plastic formulation stored in the Drug Master File (DMF) at the FDA. All product grades of the PRO range have been shown to comply with the applicable international standards and tests for medical technology uses of plastics such as the EU, US and Japanese Pharmacopeias and DIN EN ISO 10993-5. Such tests are performed (on pellets) by independent third-party institutes.
Heat-resistant Ultrason®
With its stability at high temperatures and exceptional chemical resistance, Ultrason, too, is suitable for medical technology applications. What is more: it is transparent. In addition, most products from this range have been certified to the typical food contact and drinking water standards.