Green TPE - one step ahead in medical industry

Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) is already a rising star in the medical industry. How to be the standouts? The answer might be "going green". Recently, US-Based Teknor Apex Company introduced vinyl compounds with bio-based plasticizer. A firm grip on the trend and the future.

The company has begun development of flexible vinyl compounds that incorporate phthalate-free Dow Ecolibrium bio-based plasticizers, which are manufactured using plant byproducts by The Dow Chemical Company.

Under a recently announced joint collaboration agreement, Teknor Apex has been granted the exclusive right to market in North America flexible vinyl compounds containing these plasticizers in certain applications, including medical devices subject to a Dow Medical Application Policy.

In uses like tubing and pouches, Teknor Apex expects that these compounds, under the new BioVinyl brand, will provide the performance advantages of vinyl, have a smaller carbon footprint than alternative plastics like polyolefins or polyurethanes, and be more cost-efficient than "green" biopolymers.

"In light of recent regulatory pressures, medical device manufacturers are seeking the path of least resistance in selecting plastic raw materials without sacrificing performance and without straying far from historical economics," said Peter M Galland, Medical Industry Manager for the Vinyl Division of Teknor Apex. "Teknor Apex has addressed these market needs by developing a complete and broad-based array of solutions that includes a very diverse portfolio of vinyl options and a fast-growing family of TPE alternatives to PVC."

Source: Teknor Apex