Medtech company, Raumedic announces new biocompatible additive which aims to enhance the sliding properties of medical plastic components.
Credit: Raumedic
This new additive can be added to thermoplastic elastomers, polyamides, polystyrenes and polyolefin, and has been tested in combination with a base polymer over the last six months.
The mix of materials claims to significantly lower the coefficient of friction, and thus improve sliding properties, whilst ensuring there is no effect on parameters such as dimension, stability, flow rate and tensile strength.
Katharina Neumann, head of the materials chemistry department, Raumedic commented: “We see tremendous improvement potential for our catheter products because they are easier to introduce into the body thanks to their reduced gliding force.”
It is hoped that this additive will ensure the optimisation of devices within areas such as regional anaesthesia, drug delivery and minimally invasive surgery. Additionally, Neumann believes that the material could potentially lower costs due to the high price of thermoplastic polytetrafluoroethylene compared to this new compound.
Neumann concludes: “The additive can be used for all applications in which plastic has to glide well on plastic."