Consumables
Eastman Chemical Company Launches Family of Blends Based on Eastman Tritan Copolyester for Medical-Housing Market
Monday 15. June 2009 - Company Also Introduces New High-flow, Medical-grade Copolyester for Applications with Thin Walls, Multiple Cavities
Eastman Chemical Company, together with PolyOne, announced today that it will launch a new family of blends based on Eastman Tritan copolyester at the Medical Design & Manufacturing East (MD&M East) trade show June 9 to 11, 2009, in New York.
At MD&M East, Eastman also will introduce a new high-flow, medical-grade polymer Eastman Tritan MX731 copolyester to its existing family of medical-grade copolyesters.
Blends Based on Eastman Tritan Copolyester for Medical-Housing Market
The new opaque performance blends will be PolyOnes first commercial compounds made with Eastman Tritan copolyester and will be marketed within PolyOnes Trilliant HC specialty blends portfolio in North America. Tritan provides these blends with exceptional chemical resistance and hydrolytic stability, as well as competitive toughness, gloss and processability.
“Eastman Chemical Company is committed to fulfilling the long-term needs of the medical industry and has continued to supply innovative polymers, including most recently Eastman Tritan copolyester,” said Helen Sirett, medical business segment manager, Eastman Chemical Company. “By partnering with PolyOne to introduce Trilliant HC blends based on Tritan, we can supplement our already extensive and high-quality selection of polymers for the medical industry.”
PolyOnes Trilliant HC blends based on Eastman Tritan copolyester are well-suited for hand-held medical-device applications, such as diagnostic tools, blood-glucose meters, pulse oximeters and battery-powered feeding pumps, in which close contact with the skin and cleaning with chemicals is common. Trilliant HC blends based on Tritan provide superior resistance to chemicals used in disinfectants and cleansers without cracking or crazing, and offer added toughness to medical parts, particularly hand-held medical devices that are utilized frequently and could be dropped.
Blends based on Eastman Tritan copolyester are easy to process and provide good melt flow for thin-walled devices. Additionally, Tritan performs similarly to polycarbonate during processing, requiring minimal retooling.
High-flow, Medical-grade Copolyester
The new medical-grade polymer Eastman Tritan MX731 copolyester has high flow processing capabilities, making it well-suited for applications with thin walls, multiple cavities and long cavitation walls. Potential application opportunities within the medical industry include IV components, dialyzer housings and cannulae.
Eastman Tritan MX731 copolyester, which is manufactured without bisphenol-A, also maintains the positive attributes of the Tritan portfolio, including toughness, chemical resistance and hydrolytic stability. These properties make it ideal for the medical industry where sterilization and continued disinfecting are common.
“This addition to our family of copolyesters offers processors a high-flow alternative that also provides high-quality, and long-lasting products for the medical industry,” Sirett said. “The introduction of Tritan MX731, as well as Trilliant blends based on Tritan, demonstrate Eastmans commitment to offering diverse, innovative material and design solutions for the medical industry.”
Eastman Tritan copolyester launched in the medical market in February 2009. The new-generation copolyester also launched in the reusable sports water bottle, infant care, small appliance and housewares markets. Tritan offers a new level of design flexibility, toughness, and heat and chemical resistance.