Kraiburg TPE, Eastman optimise medical compounds

Waldkraiburg, Germany – Kraiburg TPE has developed adhesion-optimised thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) compounds for medical applications, under a collaboration with polymer & chemicals company Eastman.

The Thermolast M-branded materials are tailored to adhere directly to Eastman copolyesters for medical packaging, seals and soft-tip applications.

Polypropylene, ABS, ABS/PC, and PET are among the other polymers suitable for use with the new compounds, said a Kraiburg TPE release supplied 24 Jan.

In tests, the materials showed  “excellent peel strength” on various Eastman Tritan copolyesters, according to the press statement.

The TPE compounds allowed “the optimal combining of hard and soft components,” said Ludovic Gardet of Eastman’s application development & technical service unit.

Combination through injection moulding “leverages the benefits” of Tritan and the added functionality of the TPEs, Gardet further commented in the Kraiburg TPE release.

The cooperation with Eastman is part of a Kraiburg TPE strategy to focus on medical applications and pharma packaging.

“We are expanding our portfolio for [these] markets… focusing on developing new materials for innovative products,” said Oliver Kluge, business unit manager, medical applications at Kraiburg TPE.

Kraiburg TPE will unveil the Thermolast M compounds at Pharmapack 2019 in Paris, 5-7 Feb.