Originally Published EMDM November 2005
TECHNOLOGY NEWS
Antistatic Compounds Clear the Air for Inhalers
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| The use of antistatic thermoplastic compounds to fabricate inhaler parts ensures the repeatable delivery of powder and aerosol drugs. |
Small drug particles may develop static electricity as they travel through inhalation devices, potentially resulting in the delivery of inaccurate dosages. To prevent this from happening, makers of drug inhalers increasingly use antistatic thermoplastic materials to mould parts, reports compounder RTP Co. (Beaune, France). The compounds enable repeatable powder and aerosol dosages to flow uninhibited through the devices.
Static electricity can cause drug particles to adhere to the walls of the device, resulting in too little medicine being administered to the patient. Conversely, the charged particles may build up in the flow path over time until pressure expels the mass, resulting in a dosage that exceeds the prescribed amount. Compounds supplied by RTP Co. prevent the development of static electricity, thus allowing the drug to flow as intended.
Unlike antistatic topical coatings, which lack durability and may fail at low humidity levels, antistatic compounds are not affected by humidity and retain their antistatic properties over time.
RTP Co. offers a range of styrenic, acrylic, polypropylene, cyclic olefin copolymer, and polybutylene terephthalate materials for the fabrication of inhaler pivot points, gears, and lancing components. Bowing to industry concerns, the firm avoids the use of POM, a polymerized form of formaldehyde.
The company’s antistatic compounds offer a surface resistance of 1010 to 1011 Ω/sq and a volume resistance of 109 to 1011 Ω-cm antistatic. Customizable in terms of colours and opacity, the thermoplastics provide design flexibility in addition to electrostatic-discharge properties. The compounds are also washable and reusable.
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