Understand the characteristics and uses of 12 commonly used medical plastics

1. Polystyrene (PS)
Usage: Used for manufacturing culture dishes, beer glasses, masks, etc.
Advantages: High transparency, easy injection molding, high rigidity, smooth surface, and affordable price.
Disadvantages: Easy to deform, susceptible to chemical erosion, and not resistant to high temperatures.
2. Polycarbonate (PC)
Purpose: To make syringes, infusion sets, glasses, etc.
Advantages: High transparency, high strength, good impact resistance, good heat resistance and chemical corrosion resistance.
Disadvantages: High price and easy aging.
3. Polypropylene (PP)
Purpose: To make syringes, infusion sets, blood bags, medical masks, disposable gloves, etc.
Advantages: Light weight, high temperature resistance, easy injection molding, chemical corrosion resistance.
Disadvantages: Poor rigidity, poor wear resistance, and easy aging.
4. Polyvinyl stearate (PVDC)
Usage: Used for making transparent packaging films, plastic bottles, etc.
Advantages: high barrier properties, high transparency, odor shielding, and good radiation resistance.
Disadvantages: Poor processability and high price.
5. Polyethylene (PE)
Purpose: To make infusion bags, disposable gloves, surgical fabrics, medical bags, etc.
Advantages: Soft, good elasticity, poor rigidity, and durability.
Disadvantage: Easy to age.
6. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
Purpose: To make infusion bags, synthetic leather, ordinary surgical instruments, disposable syringes, etc.
Advantages: Low price, easy to process and shape, durable, with good chemical resistance.
Disadvantages: There may be residual plasticizers, which are prone to aging and not resistant to low temperatures.
7. Ethylene acetate ethylene copolymer (EVA)
Purpose: To produce medical films, infusion bags, medical toilets, ear thermometers, etc.
Advantages: Soft, antibacterial, antioxidant, good elasticity.
Disadvantages: Not resistant to ultraviolet radiation and prone to aging.
8. Straight chain low-density polyethylene (LLDPE)
Purpose: To produce medical films, infusion bags, medical toilets, masks, etc.
Advantages: Soft, elastic, durable, and affordable.
Disadvantages: Easy to age and not resistant to high temperatures.
9. Acrylic styrene copolymer (ABS)
Purpose: Used for making medical handles, surgical instruments, etc.
Advantages: High strength, impact resistance, good surface coating performance, and strong expressiveness.
Disadvantage: Not resistant to high temperatures.
10. Polycarbonate Butanediol Ester (PBTP)
Usage: Used for making medical bottles, pipes, infusion sets, etc.
Advantages: High strength, good impact resistance, and good surface coating properties.
Disadvantage: Not resistant to high temperatures.
11. Polyether sulfone (PES)
Purpose: To produce artificial heart valves, artificial adrenaline disruptors, etc.
Advantages: High temperature tolerance, high strength, and good wear resistance.
Disadvantage: Limited corrosion resistance.
12. Polyimide (PI)
Purpose: To produce medical instruments, lenses for excimer laser surgery, high-end surgical instruments, etc.
Advantages: High heat resistance, high strength.
Disadvantage: High processing cost.