SABIC delivers solutions addressing healthcare challenges

Addressing the need for drug-delivery systems

The move toward greater outpatient care and home administration of medication has created the need for improved safety in the home healthcare environment. Drug-delivery device manufacturers are looking for solutions that can make it easy and safe for patients to accurately administer their own medication.

SABIC's XENOY resin which can be used for portable insulin pump housings, provide impact resistance and improved chemical resistance to common cosmetic chemicals such as bug sprays and sunscreens. LEXAN HP resins used for the lens can provide excellent clarity and bonds well with the XENOY resins to provide water tightness.

CYCOLOY HCX1640 resin, which meets standard healthcare regulations and can enable the design of robust, light and attractive drug delivery devices, such as insulin pens, help manufacturers achieve thin walls and dimensional stability, as well as improved weld-line performance and impact resistance. The wide range of color options available with CYCOLOY resin helps to create an attractive design that appeals to patients.

LUBRICOMP DCI06APH compound, a 30% carbon fiber-reinforced polycarbonate resin, combines the benefits of high-modulus carbon fiber with a high-flow, ductile polycarbonate, making it a great candidate for applications with complex part designs that require high strength and stiffness, internal lubrication and good processability.

Expanding material offerings

SABIC is dedicated to the continued expansion of material offerings for the healthcare industry. Recent product introductions have included PET and PVC. Specifically, the PET offering includes SABIC PCG PET80 and SABIC PCG PET84 which can be used in pharma bottles for syrups and tablets, and can provide a safer alternative to glass with its shatter resistance, light weighting and glass-like transparency. For PVC, SABIC PVC71S offers good clarity, high flexibility, excellent strength and toughness for applications including blood bags, catheters and dialysis tubing. In 2017, SABIC's portfolio will also include PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) and POM (unfilled polyoxymethylene or polyacetal).

SABIC PMMA, commonly referred to as acrylic, has excellent optics, outstanding stability and superior mechanical performance, while POM (unfilled polyoxymethylene or polyacetal) offers high strength and stiffness, with low wear and friction. Both new materials have many targeted uses in the healthcare industry ranging from infant incubators to insulin pens.

Finally, SABIC will be showcasing its new campaign called "Talking Chemistry That Matters", which highlights its successful collaborations with customers in various sectors. In this sector, this includes PTA Plastics (www.ptaplastics.com), a U.S.-based injection molder that has been working with SABIC for more than 30 years on major healthcare OEM projects. Their strong collaboration goes beyond supplying a pellet. It entails several touch points in the process of developing applications - from design to tooling and molding. The close relationship has enabled SABIC to develop the right materials to be selected by PTA, thus enabling PTA to deliver some of the most complex and challenging solutions for the medical device industry, with maximum precision, minimized cost and streamlined results.

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