Which medical grade polymer is right for you?


We know that material choice is a crucial component of any medical device or device housing. When you’re deciding what medical grade polymer you need for your next project, consider these criteria:
  • Does it make the grade?
  • Will it match the application?
Selecting the right medical grade polymers helps ensure your device complies with quality and biocompatibility standards—and that you have reliable support for regulatory approvals. Different polymers offer different combinations of strengths that help ensure performance in specific medical applications. 
 
When matching a medical grade of Eastman Tritan™ copolyester to your needs, keep in mind that each medical application has different performance priorities. For example, while opaque medical housings demand a greater level of durability, chemical resistance, color stability, and heat resistance, clear applications—such as fluid management and IV components—also place a high value on clarity.
 
Eastman provides a range of medical grades of Tritan. Here are some outstanding properties of our clear and opaque formulations of the polymer:
 
Clear formulations of Tritan:
  • Offer greater toughness, heat resistance, processability, and design freedom compared with other copolyesters
  • Retain clarity, color stability, and functional integrity after sterilization
  • Provide outstanding chemical resistance to lipids, IPA, disinfecting agents, and bonding solvents and adhesives
Opaque formulations of Tritan:
  • Provide excellent functionality and reliability to device housings
  • Ensure compatibility with the new reality of aggressive disinfection and the daily impact stresses that come with greater portability
  • Retain color and functionality following sterilization with gamma and e-beam irradiation
  • Offer reliable color matching—drawing on the expertise of the Eastman Color Technology Center
  • Provide flame-retardant properties
Find out more about our different products here. We also have the technical expertise and support you need to make the right material choice. Our team will work with you every step of the way to help bring your product to market as seamlessly as possible.