| |
LIQUID SILICONE TOP COAT DRIVES USE OF LIQUID INJECTION-MOULDED SILICONE ELASTOMERS IN HEALTHCARE
19 July 2004 - GE Advanced Materials
| To meet healthcare industry needs for improved performance and cleanliness of medical devices, GE Advanced Materials has introduced a new top coat for liquid injection-moulded silicone elastomers. |
Called LSR Top Coat, the product significantly lowers the coefficient of friction (COF) on the surface of moulded parts such as catheters, prosthetics, and valves for higher performance, reduced sticking and re-healing, and greater wear resistance. These properties open up new healthcare applications for liquid injection-moulded silicone elastomers and offer the industry the opportunity to use these highly versatile materials in a wider range of devices. GE Advanced Materials’ LSR Top Coat addresses two of the main challenges that previously limited the use of liquid injection-moulded silicone elastomers in healthcare applications. By lowering the COF by up to 56% compared to uncoated silicone elastomers, LSR Top Coat can dramatically reduce undesirable friction such as high insertion forces in catheters, sticking of external dental moulds, and re-healing of mechanical diaphragms and seals. Further, the reduced COF helps prevent adhesion of dust particles to the surface of the silicone elastomers for a higher level of cleanliness, a critical concern in the healthcare environment. Historically, several methods have been utilized to reduce the COF of elastomers, including vapour deposition coatings and lubricating fluids. Both have drawbacks: vapour deposition requires the use of high-vacuum systems, which can be time-consuming and expensive, and lubricating fluids are typically unsuitable for use in healthcare applications. In contrast, GE’s new LSR Top Coat can be easily applied using a number of different methods including dipping, spraying, brushing, and, prior to curing, in an air-circulating oven. A wide cure profile window (10 to 30 minutes at 100 to 180C) offers flexibility. Another advantage of LSR Top Coat is that multiple applications are not required; in fact, the best COF values were obtained from a single spray coating. This factor makes LSR Top Coat an economical choice. The new coating opens opportunities to use GE’s LIM and LSR elastomers in additional moulded and tubing/extrusion applications. These include:
• Foley, urethral, and incontinence catheters;
• IV and infusion therapy needles and check valves;
• Dental impression moulds;
• Fluid transfer devices;
• Peristaltic pump tubing; and
• Healthcare equipment grips and handles. LSR Top Coat also enables elastomers to perform better in current applications. Further, the top coat can be applied to moulded parts for consumer goods and automotive applications, including connectors. “The recent opening of our new custom formulation facility in Garrett, Ind., underscores the commitment of GE Advanced Materials to provide liquid silicone elastomer solutions for the healthcare industry, as well as in consumer goods and automotive,” said Sharon Shatto, industry manager, Healthcare & Consumer Goods, GE Advanced Materials. “Now we are delivering on that commitment with innovative products like LSR Top Coat to address the needs of the healthcare sector for specialised materials that enable ever-smaller devices at higher production rates – without compromising quality.”
http://www.ge.com
About: GE Advanced Materials
GE Advanced Materials is a world leader in providing materials solutions through engineering thermoplastics, silicone-based products and technology platforms, and fused quartz and ceramics. Among its businesses are:• Silicones, which includes GE Toshiba Silicones in the Pacific region and GE Bayer Silicones in Europe, offers silanes, specialty silicones, urethane additives, adhesives, sealants, resins, and elastomers for a variety of industries such as personal care, automotive, tire and rubber, construction, healthcare, electronics, household and institutional, agriculture, textiles, appliances, bedding and furnishings, foam control, and consumer (http://www.gesilicones.com/gesilicones/am1/en/home.jsp); • Plastics is a global plastics materials supplier and distributor, which serves customers in a variety of industries including aerospace, appliances, automotive, building and construction, data storage and optical media, medical, electrical and electronics devices, telecommunications, computers and peripheral devices, outdoor vehicles and devices, and packaging (http://www.geplastics.com/); • Quartz produces high purity materials for the semiconductor, fiber optic, lamp making and water purification industries. GE Quartz is a leading supplier of quartz materials to the semiconductor industry (http://www.gequartz.com/en/index.htm); Established in 1968, GE Advanced Materials’ Specialty Film & Sheet business is a leading supplier of high-performance engineering film and sheet products to the United States, Europe, Africa, India, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and operates a worldwide network of sales, research, manufacturing and technical services facilities. Today, GE Advanced Materials, Specialty Film & Sheet employs about 600 people, and manufactures engineering sheet and film products at 12 facilities in 9 countries worldwide. Recent investments:
• 2003 New Roofing Structures Line in Italy, Europe
• 2003 New Coating Lines in China & Malaysia, Pacific
• 2002 Acquisition of Plastech, China
• 2001 New Film Lines in USA and Europe
• 2001 Acquisition of Carboron, Malaysia
• 2000 Acquisition of Matraplast, Canada
• 2000 Acquisition of Nim Plastics, USA Products:
GE Advanced Materials offers a variety of film materials are to meet different type of applications such as graphic film, coated products, electrical & electronic products, and specialties. The key film materials available today include:
• Lexan* Polycarbonate film
• Ultem* film
• Lexan* SLX film
• Valox* film
• Lexan* Illuminex* film GE Advanced Materials’ sheet product line includes a wide range of structures from solid sheet, multi-wall sheet and corrugated sheet through to coated sheet and laminates and combinations of each of these. The key sheet materials available today include:
• Lexan* Polycarbonate sheet
• Lexan* Solar Control IR sheet
• Margard* coated sheet
• Lexgard* laminated sheet
• Ultem* sheet
• Lexan EXL* sheet GE Advanced Materials, Specialty Film & Sheet, serves customers in a variety of industries including aircraft, appliances, automotive, building and construction, business machines, electrical & lighting, furnishing, greenhouse, industrial roofing, medical, electrical and electronics devices, telecommunications and packaging. In January 2004, in line with GE Corporate’ new brand architecture, GE Advanced Materials has announced the change of GE Structured Products business naming to GE Advanced Materials, Specialty Film & Sheet. |
More News:
• For July 2004
• From GE Advanced Materials
• For Engineering Plastics
|
