MATERIAL PARTNER OF THE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY

Merz Pharma uses Covestro polycarbonate for its Cellfina system

Chemical resistance and flame retardancy are key factors in material selection for medical equipment housings. Covestro offers a range of medical-grade materials that help today’s medical device manufacturers meet physical, chemical and environmental requirements.

Makroblend® M4000 FR PC+PBT blend offers flame retardancy of V-0 at a thickness of 2 millimeters in the UL94 safety of flammability standard of Underwriters Laboratories, and 5VA at a thickness of 3 millimeters, and has superior chemical resistance.

Special requirements

The material is appropriate for skin contact applications and is biocompatible according to ISO 10993-5 (Cytotoxicity) and ISO10993-10 (Irritation and Sensitization). Other advantages include high toughness, reduced susceptibility to stress cracking, good flowability and high tensile modulus.

Due to these outstanding properties, Merz Pharma, a global aesthetics and neurotoxin company headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, selected Makroblend M4000 FR PC+PBT blend from Covestro for the housing of the motor module of its Cellfina System. It is the only FDA-cleared, minimally invasive procedure shown to improve the appearance of cellulite for up to three years.

“We worked closely with Merz to select high-quality, proven materials for the system by providing chemical data, test plaques and custom color matching,” explains Richard Aldrich, business development manager – Southwest region, Polycarbonates, Covestro LLC. “The motor module is disinfected between uses with aggressive disinfectant wipes and needed the superior chemical resistance provided by the polycarbonate blend. This combined with the flame retardance of the material made it a superior choice for the product.”

Polycarbonate with good processing properties

The Cellfina System also features Makrolon 2458 polycarbonate in the sterilized disposable parts used with the system. This polycarbonate is ideal for medical devices as it is biocompatible according to many ISO 10993-1 test requirements. The lightweight material has easy-release properties and low viscosity for ease of processing.

Both Makroblend M4000 FR PC+PBT blend and Makrolon 2458 polycarbonate are durable enough to protect the device’s electronic components, yet are still aesthetically pleasing.

“Our role showcases commitment from Covestro to provide innovative solutions and technical support that meet the rigorous needs of the medical device industry,” says Lauren Zetts, North America market manager, Medical and Consumer Products – Polycarbonates, Covestro LLC.