Eastman launches new portfolio of flame-resistant polymers at MD&M West

KINGSPORT, Tennessee

Global specialty plastics provider Eastman demonstrates its commitment to mitigating patient and clinician risk with superior materials for medical devices at the 35^th annual Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) West expo in Anaheim, California, Feb. 11-13. Eastman debuts a new portfolio of polymers for the housing and hardware of electronic medical devices. The MXF product line that started with Eastman Tritan™ MXF121 is built on Tritan's proven durability and disinfectant resistance, and Eastman will soon be launching products that feature a UL 94 V-2 flame resistant rating.

"Eastman brings over 40 years of medical industry expertise to our latest iteration of Tritan MXF copolyesters," said Brad Potter, marketing director, Specialty Plastics-Medical. "We worked with OEMs to identify the attributes needed for specific product requirements and processing characteristics to enhance manufacturability."

The result of Eastman's collaborative process is a collection of flame-resistant polymers for electronic medical device housings and hardware. These materials offer unsurpassed chemical compatibility with a wide range of disinfectants used to combat HAIs as well as improved durability and higher impact strength. Materials in the Eastman Tritan MXF portfolio enable ease of processing, with lower ejection force for easier de-molding.

According to Potter, Eastman Tritan MXF copolyesters can save money across the value chain due to reduced repairs, returns and warranty claims from device breakage, a low scrap rate and the lack of retooling necessary when changing from PC/ABS to Tritan MXF. Furthermore, using only Tritan MXF in an assembly reduces expenses associated with the use of multiple polymers which can cause discoloration and durability issues.

"Switching to Tritan MXF adds value throughout product design and commercialization and ultimately lowers the cost of ownership," Potter said. "Most importantly, using Tritan MXF polymers in medical device housings enables healthcare workers to clean those devices more thoroughly with proper disinfectants, ultimately reducing the incidence of HAIs and positively impacting patient outcomes."

Eastman is hosting two Lunch & Learns at MDMW: "Critical Material Performance Considerations for Successful Development, Design and Validation of Medical Device Packaging: A Global Perspective" on Tuesday, Feb. 11 about compliance with the EU MDR and "An Emerging Certification for Medical Device Cleanability and Durability: How Material Testing and Selection Help" on Wednesday, Feb. 12 to discuss how material screening, polymer selection and device testing can enable device certification from the Healthcare Surfaces Institute. Visit Booth 2301 to learn more about the new Eastman Tritan MXF portfolio.

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About Eastman

Eastman is a global specialty materials company that leverages innovation, technology and application development to grow its leading positions in end-markets such as agriculture, transportation, building and construction, and consumables.