Styron's new chemical resistant blend for medical housings introduced in North America

According to the press release on August 9, global materials company Styron has introduced the Emerge PC/PET 9100CR Advanced Resin in North America.

As introduced, the Emerge PC/PET 9100CR Advanced Resin is a polycarbonate blend with superior chemical resistance properties, designed specifically for medical equipment housing applications.

"With an increased emphasis on managing the risk of hospital acquired infections (HAIs), medical professionals have enhanced their standard operating procedures for infection control," said Martin Lindway, Styron's Global Marketing Manager. "One of the controls in place is the selection of newer chemicals and cleaning procedures for durable medical equipment."

"The challenge is that the chemicals used in this process are harsh and can attack plastic surfaces leading to crazing, cracking, and even initiating product failure. To combat this, Styron has developed a novel polycarbonate blend - the first in a series - with advanced chemical resistance properties to resist potential antagonists," he said.

According to Styron, feedback from trials of Emerge PC/PET 9100CR Advanced Resin indicates that it provides an aesthetically-pleasing appearance and enhanced environmental stress-crack resistance, while maintaining the toughness needed for housings. Emerge PC/PET 9100CR is available in natural and custom color options to help produce opaque housings with aesthetically-pleasing appearances.

Emerge PC/PET 9100CR augments a portfolio, including Emerge PC/ABS 7600 Advanced Resins. Introduced earlier this year, this biocompatible product is a non-chlorinated, non-brominated, ignition-resistant blend combining the physical properties of polycarbonate with the processability, toughness and flow of ABS, said the company.