Westlake Plastics was recently featured in Medical Device Developments (MDD) Magazine. MDD is a publication that highlights the latest trends and innovations in the medical device industry. Read on to learn about Westlake’s offering of Radel PPSU semi-finished thermoplastic products to the orthopedic surgical devices & instruments market, and about how Westlake’s strategic partnership with Solvay paired with capacity expansion positions Westlake Plastics as a best-in-class material supplier.
Westlake Plastics offers Radel® PPSU in their lineup of semi-finished high-performance thermoplastic products that serve into the Life Sciences market.
What is Radel PPSU?
Radel® (a registered trademark of Solvay) Polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) is an amorphous transparent high-performance thermoplastic. It is known for its high heat resistance (HDT of 207°C or 405°F), extreme toughness and impact strength, and high flexural and tensile strength. Radel also offers excellent hydrolytic stability and good resistance to a broad range of chemicals. In its natural form, Radel PPSU is transparent with an amber tint. As a result, it is readily colorable in a variety of transparent tints and opaque colors.
Design Benefits
Radels light weight and outstanding mechanical and thermal property profile combined with its hydrolytic stability and chemical resistance make it well suited for a variety of medical devices and life science applications. It is resistant to stress cracking and degradation from a range of hospital disinfectants, and it can be sterilized using all common methods including steam autoclaving, gamma irradiation, ethylene oxide (EtO) and vaporized hydrogen peroxide. Radel PPSU is ISO 10993 compliant and is suitable for limited exposure medical device applications having less than 24 hours contact with bodily fluids and tissue. These features combined with it colorability give engineers more design freedom and flexibility.
Applications
Medical device applications such as sterilization cases, surgical instruments and tools, orthopedic joint replacement sizing trials, and dental tools all benefit from Radels ability to be repeatedly steam sterilized. Biomedical and pharmaceutical applications such as filtration devices, valve and manifold bodies and pump housings are well suited to made from Radel due to its chemical resistance, hydrolytic stability and high strength.
Why Westlake Plastics
Westlake Plastics takes a collaborative approach to working with customers and brings to the table an outstanding knowledge of thermoplastic materials, manufacturing processes, and design. As an ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 registered company with a commitment to quality and continuous improvement, coupled with a focus on customer satisfaction, Westlake values customer feedback. This belief and approach positions Westlake for success with integrity. As a commitment to product integrity, all products for the life science and medical device markets are made with 100% virgin resin (no regrind used), are lot controlled and lot traceable and are subject to change control and change notification policies. To meet the many markets demands and requirements, Westlake offers a competitive range of shapes and sizes including the following.
- Slab Sheet: 0.250″ to 6″ (6.35mm to 152.4mm)
- Thin Sheet: 0.030″ to 0.25″ (0.76mm to 6.35mm) and up to 52″ (1321mm) wide
- Extruded Films: 0.002″ to 0.029″ (0.051mm to 0.737mm) and up to 27″ (686mm) wide
- Extruded Rods: 0.50″ to 12″ (12.7mm to 305mm)
Furthermore, to support the growing need for semi-finished thermoplastics shapes in the life science and medical device markets Westlake is expanding capacity. In Q2, 2024 the company will be adding a state-of-the-art sheet line allowing for greater production capabilities and flexibility across a range of resin families including Radel. Additionally, by partnering with Solvay, as well as their licensed compounders, Westlake has access to a greater range of Radel material customization options. These factors enable Westlake to offer customers with best-in-class product selection and application development support.
Access the full digital edition of MDD magazine here: MDD Vol. 2 2023
