Silicone Catches Up with Counterparts
Silicone tubing has become more commonplace, owing to its unique properties for medical applications. www.himsanpolymer.com Silicone tubing has made significant strides in the medical device market over the last five years. From surgical instrumentation to implantable drug-delivery systems, silicone tubing is methodically replacing tubing made from more-traditional plastics and thermoplastics such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), and nonplastics such as urethanes. Medical device designers are drawn to silicone tubing for a variety of reasons, including biocompatibility and ease of manufacture relative to plastic. In addition, silicone often offers flexibility in design that does not sacrifice quality or durability. The migration from thermoplastic tubing to silicone tubing is occurring for several reasons. From a biocompatibility standpoint, silicone scores very well. This is primarily due to the following characteristics of ...