Custom compounds producer Teknor Apex is set to introduce its new thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) at MD&M West 2018.
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The company’s medical-grade TPEs are developed for cold-storage bags and pouches and exhibit low-temperature toughness which is superior to PVC. They also weigh less at comparable film gauges and open the possibility of running thinner products without sacrificing performance.
Medalist compounds for low-temperature film are 70% as dense as PVC, with a typical specific gravity of 0.90. At the same time they exhibit greater toughness in cold-storage applications, with brittle points as low as -60 °C, as against -40 °C for PVC. This greater toughness introduces the possibility of down-gauging from standard thicknesses or replacing multi-layer structures with monolayer films. The new Medalist compounds exhibit tensile and tear strength properties comparable to those of PVC and better moisture barrier.
Ross van Royen, senior market manager of regulated products, said: “Our new TPEs for cold-storage bags and pouches combine the inherent low-temperature toughness of elastomers with the biocompatibility, processability, and cost-performance balance characteristic of all Medalist medical compounds. They enable medical manufacturers to achieve weight savings and other economies while still providing the same product performance as standard PVC.”
