On July 31, 2020, Avient Corporation, a leading provider of professional and sustainable material solutions, announced the addition of 8 new grades to its Versaflex™ thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) product line in its healthcare product portfolio. The injection moldable Versaflex™ HC 3810 series formula does not contain animal derivatives and is available in a variety of hardnesses to meet the needs of various medical device applications.
Jean Paul Scheepens, General Manager of Avient US Specialty Engineering Materials, said: "Original equipment manufacturers and medical mold manufacturers need high-performance material solutions for various medical equipment and healthcare applications. Based on our proven Versaflex products Combined technology, this series of products have reliable performance and expand the selection of materials that do not contain animal derivatives, which is one of the increasingly common requirements for medical and healthcare products."
The new Versaflex special grade product is available on the North American market. It is translucent and has excellent colorability. They are very suitable for secondary molding on polypropylene. Example applications for Shore A 20-50 include ergonomic clamps, strain relief components, handles, gaskets and seals. The 60-90 Shore hardness tester can be used for IV connector covers, diagnostic test equipment, endoscope covers and similar applications.
Versaflex 3810 material is suitable for gamma sterilization and autoclaving methods. All 8 grades in the new series also comply with ISO 10993-4 and -5, REACH SVHC and RoHS standards.