Covestro high-flow polycarbonate enables intricate, thin-wall designs in healthcare applications

In the healthcare industry, the growing trend of miniaturization is impacting how products are designed. Smaller medical devices, such as on-body drug delivery or monitoring applications, call for seamless, unobtrusive and lightweight designs to improve patient comfort and overall compliance. Additionally, smaller devices are often used in surgery to advance patient recovery times. As a result, these products require materials with excellent flow properties suitable for thin-wall applications.

To meet the toughest device design challenges, Covestro developed Makrolon^® Rx2235 polycarbonate. This new medical grade features high-flow properties for a variety of healthcare applications, such as on-body devices, surgical instruments, pen injectors and IV components.

“Makrolon® Rx2235 polycarbonate sets a new benchmark for flow length and brings the expected transparency and toughness of polycarbonate to help manufacturers fill very thin walls and accurately replicate intricate features with lower pressures,” said Pierre Moulinié, global healthcare technology lead, Polycarbonates Covestro LLC. Furthermore, Moulinié points out that material savings with thin walls could be pushed even further with increased cavitation to reduce production costs.

Formulated specifically to meet rigorous healthcare industry requirements, Makrolon^® Rx2235 polycarbonate is biocompatible according to ISO 10993-1 test requirements and designed to be sterilized using gamma or e-Beam methods. It is complementary to Makrolon® 2258 polycarbonate, another ideal material for medical devices. This grade is suitable for ETO and steam sterilization, biocompatible according to many ISO 10993-1 test requirements, and offers low viscosity and easy release.

“Makrolon® Rx2235 polycarbonate is a significant addition to our broad range of medical polycarbonates,” said Doug Hamilton, global healthcare segment leader, Polycarbonates Covestro LLC. “This is just the latest example of how we continue to innovate and expand our polycarbonate portfolio, giving healthcare OEMs access to the advanced materials they need to design, develop and produce their next breakthrough.”

Attendees at Pharmapack 2019, Feb. 6 and 7, in Paris, France, can visit the Covestro booth (#C94) to learn more about the company’s materials for the healthcare industry.

About Covestro:

With 2017 sales of EUR 14.1 billion, Covestro is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, construction, wood processing and furniture, and electrical and electronics industries. Other sectors include sports and leisure, cosmetics, health and the chemical industry itself. Covestro has 30 production sites worldwide and employs approximately 16,200 people (calculated as full-time equivalents) at the end of 2017.

For more information please see www.covestro.com.
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Forward-looking statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Covestro AG. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Covestro’s public reports which are available at www.covestro.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.