Global leader in motion and control technologies has created medical grade polyurethane that demonstrates expanded resistance to environmental stress cracking, as well as characteristic polycarbonate resistance to oxidation and swelling
Developed by the Engineered Polymer Systems (EPS) Division of Parker Hannifin Corporation; the product, dubbed Parker Medical Grade ALC Polyurethane, is an aliphatic polycarbonate-based thermoplastic polyurethane designed for medical and life science applications.
ALC Polyurethanes are non-yellowing, colour-matchable and available in clear or radiopaque grades; manufactured in an ISO-certified clean room environment; softens in the body; biocompatible and biostable; enhanced reliability over currently available polyurethanes and have excellent mechanical properties.
Potential medical applications include vascular access devices, cardiovascular treatment devices, disposable surgical supplies, tracheotomy devices, urological devices, dialysis devices and feeding tubes.
Parker EPS Senior Chemist, Arlo McGinn PhD commented:
“Parker’s new ALC polyurethanes offer a proven advantage over competitive products. Many medical grade urethanes, including ALC polyurethane are now made with aliphatic polyurethane instead of the old standard, aromatic polyurethane, because of yellowing and carcinogenic concerns.
“The aliphatic polyurethanes have lower mechanical properties than aromatic but degrade to potentially safer end products, do not discolour upon exposure to light, and also show enhanced resistance to hydrolytic decomposition.
“However, along with the decreased mechanical properties, aliphatic polyurethanes are more prone to a physical degradation process – termed environmental stress cracking – than their aromatic counterparts.
McGinn continued:
“Parker has successfully addressed this issue through its proprietary formulation and advanced manufacturing process. We analysed the performance of several aliphatic polycarbonate polyurethanes, including our ALC polyurethanes and two competitors.
“Upon exposure to alkaline conditions, differences in tube performance within the ALC class were compelling; the competitive ALC urethane tubes quickly degraded and failed due to the effects of environmental stress cracking.
“During the same period however, Parker’s ALC formulation showed no significant change after initial softening over the course of the testing and demonstrated enhanced resistance to environmental stress cracking.”
Polyurethane materials are specified for medical device components due to their ability to meet the stringent performance, biocompatibility and sterilisation requirements of the applications in which the devices are used.