The Earth is home to more and more people, whose average age is also rising steadily. This, in turn, is leading to increased demands for medical care. Bayer MaterialScience has a long history of material solutions for the medical technology sector. With its range of polyurethane raw materials plus thermoplastic materials and films, the company is a key contributor in this field. The company will be showcasing a series of current developments in areas ranging from the use in operating room equipment to wound treatment at Stand 6141 of the MEDTEC Europe trade show in
One example is Bayblend® M850XF, a blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene that is very well suited for the production of housings for medical equipment. This includes primarily surgical instruments, diagnostic equipment and drug administration systems. Like most other thermoplastics developed by Bayer MaterialScience for the medical technology sector, Bayblend® M850XF is characterized by very good impact strength and rigidity. The product also fulfills requirements of certain biocompatibility tests according to ISO 10933-1 and to USP (United States Pharmacopeia) Plastics Class VI.
Patients want wounds to heal quickly and with as little pain as possible. This is also in the interest of health insurers and medical personal. Modern wound management can shorten treatment and enable what had previously been in-patient treatment to be provided on an out-patient basis, reducing care time and costs.
Current developments from Bayer MaterialScience include Baymedix® brand hydrophilic prepolymers, which are used to manufacture polyurethane foams for medical wound dressings. The foams absorb aqueous liquids and retain them better than conventional foams.
They can be combined with Platilon® thermoplastic polyurethane films, which are water vapor permeable and allow wounds to breathe. The water-tight films keep liquids and dirt that come in contact with the bandage from the outside away from the wound. The films are produced by Epurex Films GmbH & Co. KG - a wholly owned subsidiary of Bayer MaterialScience assigned to Functional Films.
About Bayer MaterialScience:
With 2011 sales of EUR 10.8 billion, Bayer MaterialScience is among the world's largest polymer companies. 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 and the sports and leisure industries. At the end of 2011, Bayer MaterialScience had 30 production sites and employed approximately 14,800 people around the globe. Bayer MaterialScience is a Bayer Group company.