Calcium And Zinc Based
Heat Stabilizers For Medical Applications

Chinmay Kulkarni
Executive - Business Development & Technical
Services
Goldstab Organics Pvt. Ltd. |
The pandemic of 2020 has changed
the world in many ways like never before. But there
is a silver lining. Plastics have gained great
respect in society in general thanks to the
contribution of PPE kits and medical devices in the
fight against Covid-19. Plastic has been the
undoubted hero in this battle that protected
frontline workers as a shield and helped to cure
patients in the form of medical devices.
Among all the plastics, Polyvinyl
Chloride (PVC) is used in medical applications
widely due to the unique combination of properties.
PVC is ‘additive friendly’ polymer, and with the
help of various additives it can be made either
flexible or rigid, transparent, opaque or
translucent. Other than these physical properties
PVC is durable, biocompatible and resistant to harsh
chemicals. These properties may seem obvious at
first glance but if we look at it closely, it sets
PVC apart from other materials. For example, glass
is very good for chemical resistivity and
biocompatibility but there’s limitation due to rigid
and brittle nature of glass. It can’t be used for
all applications and careful handling is required.
Whereas, PVC can replace glass in many |
applications as it not only provides required
compatibility and chemical
resistance but also the toughness of material in terms
of mechanical properties allows it to be used with
little care. Similarly, PVC also gives advantage over
metal as it doesn’t corrode and has great chemical
resistance. Hence lipids, alcohol, acids and bases can
be stored safely in PVC container.
Single use medical applications of PVC like gloves,
masks, sterile syringes, blood bags, IV bags, tablet
packaging, is a game changer. Sanitization is a constant
challenge in front of medical workers and historically
multi-use medical devices were the main reason behind
infections due to cross contaminations. Moreover,
traditional sterilization facilities such as use of
ethylene dioxide, steam and autoclave were time
consuming. Whereas, new age sterilization techniques
like use of gamma rays is very well suited for polymer
based medical equipment and these devices can be sealed
or made ‘ready for use’ in very short time. PVC and its
additives that are used in the medical applications
fulfill all the requirements of safety during working
period and also retain the properties of the compound
even after modern sterilization techniques.

Since, PVC is not stable when it is exposed to heat, the
performance of PVC is largely dependent on the additives
especially heat stabilizers. In the case of
manufacturing medical devices, non-toxic and
eco-friendly heat stabilizers are the natural choice of
processors. These stabilizers are also expected to
provide final products high degree of clarity, good
mechanical properties and excellent chemical resistance.
Generally, for transparent applications Calcium and Zinc
based stabilizers are recommended to use. Calcium
Stearate and Zinc Stearate are the core stabilizing
agents which are manufactured using plant based stearic
acid, calcium hydroxide and zinc oxide. Both of these
ingredients can be used for food contact applications
safely. But since these grades are to be used for
medical applications, all raw materials used to
manufacture stabilizers must be USP compliant. Apart
from metallic stearates other
organic and inorganic co-stabilizers are also used in
the formulations. The inorganic stabilizers are mainly
acid scavengers that restrict the release of toxic gases
such as hydrochloric acid and organic co-stabilizers are
used to improve color hold and UV stability of the final
product. Along with these stabilizers many processors
also use Epoxidized Soya-Bean Oil (ESBO) in flexible
compound to improve heat stability and UV resistance of
the final article. ESBO is also bio based product and
can be used safely in all food contact or insertable
parts of devices such as tubes.
Moreover, PVC is being used in hospitals in the form of
floorings and wall claddings in hygienic rooms. Hygienic
surfaces need to be cleaned with various cleaning agents
and due to chemical resistance PVC claddings are
preferred. The added advantages such as durability, low
maintenance cost and acoustic properties in the
material, PVC is preferred by modern health care
architects for interior design of the hospitals. For
such rigid applications internal and external lubricants
are also used in combination with the stabilizers to
make processing easy.
Use of PVC and Ca-Zn based stabilizers is a sustainable
solution. All single use and multi-use articles can be
recycled. Mostly material is transparent and made with
premium grades of additives. Hence, once sterilized it
can be sold at a very good price to the recyclers.
Secondly, in many other transparent applications, methyl
tin stabilizers are used which are not compatible with
Lead based stabilizers. But since, Ca/Zn stabilizers are
primarily used in medical applications the material to
be recycled can be used in any system as Ca/Zn based
stabilizers are compatible with all ingredients. |
|
|
Advertisers' Index
|
Accuprec Research Labs Pvt. Ltd., India |
Ambica Medicare Engineering, India |
Nu-Vu Conair Pvt. Ltd., India |
Divya Steri Solutions Pvt. Ltd., India |
ET Elastomer Technik, Germany |
Eewa Engineering Co. Pvt. Ltd., India |
Ineos Styrolution India Ltd., India |
I-Kare Polyalloys Pvt. Ltd., India |
KLJ
Group, India |
Lubrizol Advanced Materials India Pvt.
Ltd. |
Kuraray India Pvt. Ltd., India |
Maider Medical Industry Equipment Ltd.China |
Medicall 2019, India |
Ferromatik Milacron India Pvt. Ltd., India |
GLR Laboratories
Pvt. Ltd., India |
Pashiba Lifescience, India |
Plastivision India |
Pradeep Surgipack, India |
PVC Colouring Compounding & Processing,
India |
Qosina,
USA |
Raumedic AG |
SMC Medical Manufacturing Pvt. Ltd.,
India |
Sterimed Medical Devices (P) Ltd., India |
Steri Techno Fab, India |
Tekni-Plex India Pvt. Ltd., India |
Twist Engineering Works,India |
Yuhuan Shengjiu Mould Co., Ltd.,
China |
Airways Surgical Pvt. Ltd., India |
Alpha Medicare and Devices Ltd., India |
Alpha Therapeutics Pvt. Ltd., India |
Ami
Polymer Pvt. Ltd., India |
Angiplast Pvt. Ltd., India |
Appasamy Associates, India |
Beacon Plastics, India |
Delux Surgical, Inida |
Ignisol Mediplas Corporation, India |
Jain Rubbers Pvt. Ltd., India |
Operon Strategist, India |
R.R. Patel Gases (P) Ltd., India |
Proven Trade Contacts, India
|
Sanidhya
Enterprise, India |
Surgi Pack India Pvt. Ltd. |
Unikal Consultants, India |
Vinit Performance Polymers Pvt. Ltd., India |
Aircity, India |
Amigo Surgi Care
Pvt. Ltd., India |
Angel Products, India |
Apex Medical Devices, India |
Jimit Medico Surgicals Pvt. Ltd. |
Kavya Packaging, India |
Life-O-Line Technologist, India |
Mesco Surgical, India |
Morrisons
Lifecare Pvt. Ltd., India |
National Healthcare, India |
Pharmadocx, Inida |
S. Nath & Co., India |
Unikal Consultants, India |
Venus
Industries,India, Mobile : 9825747495 |
Zinkal Products, India |
|