- Email: [email protected]
PolyOne introduces antimicrobial solutions for healthcare applications
MATERIALS
...Continued from front page masterbatches in 2007, featuring active ingredients made entirely from renewable resources [ADPO, September 2007]. Colours in the Renol-natur range include red, orange, yellow and green, but choices continue to be limited and light and process stability can be an issue in certain applications, the company acknowledges. However, it says the new Renol-compostable and Cesa-compostable masterbatches give users ‘an attractive middle ground’: the performance and cost benefits of conventional colorants and additives in a formulation that does not change the compostability of products made of the bio-based resins. In addition, Clariant Masterbatches has achieved ISO 13485 accreditation for its global production plants for masterbatches in the medical and pharma sector. The company is pioneering the implementation of ISO 13485 accreditation by masterbatch and compound suppliers, with two of its three specialist regional competence centres – at Malmö in Europe and Singapore in Asia – attaining external accreditation of the quality management standard for the medical and pharmaceutical industry in April. It says it is also on target to complete ISO 13485 at its North American site by the end of 3Q 2010. The ISO 13485 standard includes evaluation of risk potential within the processes from formulation of a masterbatch or compound, incoming raw materials, production and finished masterbatch or compound, and establishes controls to address this. Clariant says its approach is particularly significant in light of the ever-tightening performance and regulatory standards affecting manufacturers’ responsibilities towards the materials used in the production of medical devices and pharmaceutical packaging. Clariant’s centres of competence are focused on developing and manufacturing colour and performance masterbatches and compounds for medical and pharmaceutical applications. They offer full manufacturing line dedication and segregation to minimize risk of cross contamination between products and strive to deliver the purity required for today’s final applications. Strict controls help to ensure the consistency and reliability of formulations and procedures across the three sites, including change control agreements, standardization of selected raw materials that are pre-tested according to USP Class VI, Part 87 and 88, and ISO 10993, and specific training procedures for equipment, laboratory and quality control operators. Contact: Clariant Masterbatches Division, Muttenz, Switzerland. Tel: +41 61 469 6170, Web: www.clariant.masterbatches.com
2
Additives for Polymers
MATERIALS PolyOne introduces antimicrobial solutions for healthcare applications
O
hio-based PolyOne Corp has launched WithStand™, a new additive technology that imparts antimicrobial characteristics to Class I, II and III medical devices, medical packaging and other healthcare and wellness related applications. The new product line expands the company’s broad portfolio of healthcare solutions targeted at the specific performance and regulatory challenges faced by the healthcare industry. Microbe growth is a serious problem in healthcare settings. In the USA it is estimated that up to 100 000 deaths per year result from hospital acquired infections. In addition, microbes such as fungi, algae and bacteria can cause odour, staining, discoloration and loss of mechanical properties in plastic substrates. According to PolyOne, its WithStand antimicrobial technology provides a safe, effective, durable, built-in solution that is compounded into the polymer to help limit microbe development. WithStand can be custom formulated with both organic and inorganic technologies that inhibit the growth of microbe strains. The company says this capability enables the development of a customized ‘one stop’ solution that can ‘simplify the maze’ customers must navigate in order to meet performance and regulatory requirements. WithStand solutions also include assistance with additive choice and dosage; process, product and specification development; and efficacy testing and claims development. These services help to reduce time to market and maintain quality levels for products that require antimicrobial protection, PolyOne says. Offered as a stand-alone additive concentrate or a built-in component in any of PolyOne’s family of healthcare compounds, WithStand technology is reported to perform across a variety of resin types used in healthcare environments, ranging from high-end engineering thermoplastics to vinyl compounds and thermoplastic elastomers. ‘Manufacturers trying to combat surface microbe growth on plastic parts in medical devices, hospital furnishings and other healthcare applications can now look to WithStand antimicrobial technology for help’,
August 2010
MATERIALS
says Larry Johnson, PolyOne global healthcare marketing director. ‘This new additive solution provides a way for our customers to enhance the actual performance and perceived value of the products and devices they supply to the healthcare industry.’ Contact: PolyOne Corp, Avon Lake, OH, USA. Tel: +1 440 930 1000, Web: www.polyone.com
Cytec extends stabilizer range for rotomoulding
T
he Polymer Additives group of New Jerseybased Cytec Industries Inc is expanding its range of Cyasorb Cynergy Solutions® stabilizers for rotomoulded applications to meet the growing demand for rotomoulded plastics with improved properties and enhanced durability. The latest addition to Cytec’s offerings for rotomoulding, Cyasorb Cynergy Solutions R350 stabilizer, is designed for use in polypropylene-based resins, the company says. ‘The market is looking for new materials to complement the properties afforded by polyethylene’, explains Domenico Romanino, global business director, Polymer Additives at Cytec. R350 is a speciality additive that will enable broader use of polypropylene in rotomoulding by providing excellent colour and stability on processing and long UV service life, Romanino says. Cytec introduced the Cyasorb Cynergy Solutions range of light stabilizers in 2008 [ADPO, July 2008] to meet the ‘demanding performance requirements’ of specific plastics applications.
Contact: Cytec Industries Inc, Woodland Park, NJ, USA. Tel: +1 973 357 3100, Web: www.cytec.com
Ampacet’s UltraChrome masterbatch provides mirror-like reflectivity
T
he latest addition to Ampacet’s FormulaX LiquidMetals™ line of products [ADPO, May 2007], UltraChrome masterbatch creates a ‘luxurious mirror-like finish’ for moulded plastic
August 2010
components. The high-end product can be used with polyolefins and a variety of engineered resins, the company says. Potential applications include packaging, cosmetic components, household accessories, consumer appliances and automotive aftermarket products. Moulded throughout the part, UltraChrome assures a scratch-resistant finish and piece-to-piece uniformity, Ampacet says. Secondary vacuum metalizing and painting, the processes typically used to provide a metal-like appearance to plastic components, produce a finish that is easily scratched and chipped; however, the moulded-in finish obtained with UltraChrome retains its ‘eye-catching’ reflectivity and elegance, the firm says. In addition, since the masterbatch is dispersed throughout the part, bond strength is not compromised for laminated parts. According to Ampacet, the premium reflective masterbatch offers a substantially lower cost alternative to vacuum metalizing and painting processes, with a significant reduction in production-to-market cycle time and cost, since there is no need to outsource finishing, or to transport products to an off-site facility for secondary processing. In addition, the single-step moulding process eliminates the volatile organic compounds and carbon emissions that occur in secondary painting operations. Contact: Ampacet Corp, Tarrytown, NY, USA. Tel: +1 914 631 6600, Web: www.ampacet.com
Lanxess’ Mesamoll II plasticizer receives positive EFSA evaluation
T
he phthalate-free plasticizer Mesamoll II manufactured by speciality chemicals group Lanxess of Leverkusen, Germany, has taken its final step towards gaining European approval for use in food contact applications. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published its scientific opinion on the additive, concluding that alkyl(C10-C21) sulfonic acid phenyl ester, the chemical component of Mesamoll II, does not pose a risk to humans when used to manufacture toys or in dry and water-based food packaging applications.
Additives for Polymers
3
...Continued from front page masterbatches in 2007, featuring active ingredients made entirely from renewable resources [ADPO, September 2007]. Colours in the Renol-natur range include red, orange, yellow and green, but choices continue to be limited and light and process stability can be an issue in certain applications, the company acknowledges. However, it says the new Renol-compostable and Cesa-compostable masterbatches give users ‘an attractive middle ground’: the performance and cost benefits of conventional colorants and additives in a formulation that does not change the compostability of products made of the bio-based resins. In addition, Clariant Masterbatches has achieved ISO 13485 accreditation for its global production plants for masterbatches in the medical and pharma sector. The company is pioneering the implementation of ISO 13485 accreditation by masterbatch and compound suppliers, with two of its three specialist regional competence centres – at Malmö in Europe and Singapore in Asia – attaining external accreditation of the quality management standard for the medical and pharmaceutical industry in April. It says it is also on target to complete ISO 13485 at its North American site by the end of 3Q 2010. The ISO 13485 standard includes evaluation of risk potential within the processes from formulation of a masterbatch or compound, incoming raw materials, production and finished masterbatch or compound, and establishes controls to address this. Clariant says its approach is particularly significant in light of the ever-tightening performance and regulatory standards affecting manufacturers’ responsibilities towards the materials used in the production of medical devices and pharmaceutical packaging. Clariant’s centres of competence are focused on developing and manufacturing colour and performance masterbatches and compounds for medical and pharmaceutical applications. They offer full manufacturing line dedication and segregation to minimize risk of cross contamination between products and strive to deliver the purity required for today’s final applications. Strict controls help to ensure the consistency and reliability of formulations and procedures across the three sites, including change control agreements, standardization of selected raw materials that are pre-tested according to USP Class VI, Part 87 and 88, and ISO 10993, and specific training procedures for equipment, laboratory and quality control operators. Contact: Clariant Masterbatches Division, Muttenz, Switzerland. Tel: +41 61 469 6170, Web: www.clariant.masterbatches.com
2
Additives for Polymers
MATERIALS PolyOne introduces antimicrobial solutions for healthcare applications
O
hio-based PolyOne Corp has launched WithStand™, a new additive technology that imparts antimicrobial characteristics to Class I, II and III medical devices, medical packaging and other healthcare and wellness related applications. The new product line expands the company’s broad portfolio of healthcare solutions targeted at the specific performance and regulatory challenges faced by the healthcare industry. Microbe growth is a serious problem in healthcare settings. In the USA it is estimated that up to 100 000 deaths per year result from hospital acquired infections. In addition, microbes such as fungi, algae and bacteria can cause odour, staining, discoloration and loss of mechanical properties in plastic substrates. According to PolyOne, its WithStand antimicrobial technology provides a safe, effective, durable, built-in solution that is compounded into the polymer to help limit microbe development. WithStand can be custom formulated with both organic and inorganic technologies that inhibit the growth of microbe strains. The company says this capability enables the development of a customized ‘one stop’ solution that can ‘simplify the maze’ customers must navigate in order to meet performance and regulatory requirements. WithStand solutions also include assistance with additive choice and dosage; process, product and specification development; and efficacy testing and claims development. These services help to reduce time to market and maintain quality levels for products that require antimicrobial protection, PolyOne says. Offered as a stand-alone additive concentrate or a built-in component in any of PolyOne’s family of healthcare compounds, WithStand technology is reported to perform across a variety of resin types used in healthcare environments, ranging from high-end engineering thermoplastics to vinyl compounds and thermoplastic elastomers. ‘Manufacturers trying to combat surface microbe growth on plastic parts in medical devices, hospital furnishings and other healthcare applications can now look to WithStand antimicrobial technology for help’,
August 2010
MATERIALS
says Larry Johnson, PolyOne global healthcare marketing director. ‘This new additive solution provides a way for our customers to enhance the actual performance and perceived value of the products and devices they supply to the healthcare industry.’ Contact: PolyOne Corp, Avon Lake, OH, USA. Tel: +1 440 930 1000, Web: www.polyone.com
Cytec extends stabilizer range for rotomoulding
T
he Polymer Additives group of New Jerseybased Cytec Industries Inc is expanding its range of Cyasorb Cynergy Solutions® stabilizers for rotomoulded applications to meet the growing demand for rotomoulded plastics with improved properties and enhanced durability. The latest addition to Cytec’s offerings for rotomoulding, Cyasorb Cynergy Solutions R350 stabilizer, is designed for use in polypropylene-based resins, the company says. ‘The market is looking for new materials to complement the properties afforded by polyethylene’, explains Domenico Romanino, global business director, Polymer Additives at Cytec. R350 is a speciality additive that will enable broader use of polypropylene in rotomoulding by providing excellent colour and stability on processing and long UV service life, Romanino says. Cytec introduced the Cyasorb Cynergy Solutions range of light stabilizers in 2008 [ADPO, July 2008] to meet the ‘demanding performance requirements’ of specific plastics applications.
Contact: Cytec Industries Inc, Woodland Park, NJ, USA. Tel: +1 973 357 3100, Web: www.cytec.com
Ampacet’s UltraChrome masterbatch provides mirror-like reflectivity
T
he latest addition to Ampacet’s FormulaX LiquidMetals™ line of products [ADPO, May 2007], UltraChrome masterbatch creates a ‘luxurious mirror-like finish’ for moulded plastic
August 2010
components. The high-end product can be used with polyolefins and a variety of engineered resins, the company says. Potential applications include packaging, cosmetic components, household accessories, consumer appliances and automotive aftermarket products. Moulded throughout the part, UltraChrome assures a scratch-resistant finish and piece-to-piece uniformity, Ampacet says. Secondary vacuum metalizing and painting, the processes typically used to provide a metal-like appearance to plastic components, produce a finish that is easily scratched and chipped; however, the moulded-in finish obtained with UltraChrome retains its ‘eye-catching’ reflectivity and elegance, the firm says. In addition, since the masterbatch is dispersed throughout the part, bond strength is not compromised for laminated parts. According to Ampacet, the premium reflective masterbatch offers a substantially lower cost alternative to vacuum metalizing and painting processes, with a significant reduction in production-to-market cycle time and cost, since there is no need to outsource finishing, or to transport products to an off-site facility for secondary processing. In addition, the single-step moulding process eliminates the volatile organic compounds and carbon emissions that occur in secondary painting operations. Contact: Ampacet Corp, Tarrytown, NY, USA. Tel: +1 914 631 6600, Web: www.ampacet.com
Lanxess’ Mesamoll II plasticizer receives positive EFSA evaluation
T
he phthalate-free plasticizer Mesamoll II manufactured by speciality chemicals group Lanxess of Leverkusen, Germany, has taken its final step towards gaining European approval for use in food contact applications. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published its scientific opinion on the additive, concluding that alkyl(C10-C21) sulfonic acid phenyl ester, the chemical component of Mesamoll II, does not pose a risk to humans when used to manufacture toys or in dry and water-based food packaging applications.
Additives for Polymers
3