Solvay announces new grades of Zeniva PEEK

Supplier of specialty polymers Solvay has announced two new lubricated grades of PEEK products to its portfolio of biocompatible polymers for use in implantable medical devices.

The company announced two new grades of Zeniva PEEK at the AAOS 2017 (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons). Solvay state that the PEEK products each offer melt indexes specifically tailored for injection moulding, enabling broader design latitudes for customers developing next-generation implantable devices.

Dane Waund, global marketing manager for Healthcare at Solvay’s Specialty Polymers business unit said: “Zeniva PEEK continues to drive innovation in long-term implantable devices, including more complex and integrated designs. With the introduction of these two lubricated grades of Zeniva PEEK, our customers can better leverage the benefits of injection moulding over conventional machining processes, and introduce differentiated and higher-performing new concepts more quickly to the fast-growing implantable device market.”

The company’s implantable Zeniva PEEK offers benefits compared to implantable metals. Solvay claim it can help minimise reduction in bone density by maintaining normal stress on surrounding bone tissue. It can also help eliminate the risk of allergic reaction to heavy metals whilst its radiolucent properties will not interfere with X-ray and computed tomography scanning procedures, Solvay claim.

Jim Hicks, technical development engineer for Healthcare at Solvay’s Specialty Polymers global business unit: “The orthopaedic industry has challenged its supply partners to deliver biocompatible polymers that enable more innovative implantable device designs. These new additions to our Zeniva PEEK portfolio offer new possibilities for designing and moulding unique, new implants that incorporate smaller, thinner and lighter components, and to deliver them consistently within a validated medical production process compatible with long term implant applications.”