Eastman introduces styrene-free Eastalite copolyester for rigid medical packaging
Eastman Chemical Company has enhanced its medical packaging portfolio with Eastalite copolyester, the company's first opaque offering as an alternative for high impact polystyrene (HIPS).
The material is suitable for lightweight applications of opaque rigid medical packaging, including work-in-progress trays, thermoformed pharmaceutical packaging and packaging for economical medical devices or kits.
According to Eastman, Eastalite copolyester can be thermoformed into rigid trays, thereby reducing processing and inspection time, waste and cleaning costs. It also has the potential to reduce cycle times as compared with HIPS, due to minimal particulate or angel hair generation and reduced risk of black specks.
Extruded Eastalite contains a foam core with a contact surface skin of Eastman Eastar copolyester 6763. The material also can provide greater tear strength, as alternative materials are brittle and crack-susceptible.
Products made with Eastalite copolyester can be designed with deep undercuts, resulting in better hinge life and less stress whitening than packaging molded from HIPS, said Eastman. In addition, irradiation can discolor packaging made with HIPS and cause physical property deterioration. Eastalite retains color stability and functional integrity following sterilization by EtO, gamma, e-beam or gas plasma.
The company emphasized that Eastalite copolyester, compliant with select ISO 10993 requirements for medical device biocompatibility, is created without materials of concern, including butadiene, bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol S, ortho-phthalates, polyvinyl chloride or halogens such as chlorine or bromine.
"Eastman Eastalite copolyester provides brand owners and medical device manufacturers with a material at a price comparable to HIPS, but one that is free of styrene and easier to process," states Aneta Clark, Market Development Representative for Medical Packaging, Advanced Materials-Specialty Plastics, Eastman Chemical Company.
From a safety and sustainability standpoint, styrene packaging has been identified as a concern under many health care enterprise Environmentally Preferable Purchasing guidelines.
Eastman will be introducing the new material at the forthcoming Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) West trade show, taking place from February 11-13 in Anaheim, the US.
