MEDTEC EXHIBITOR NEWS
A company exhibiting at MEDTEC Stuttgart has developed a procedure that uses liquid CO2 to sanitize silicone rubber. Lasting less than an hour, the treatment can be used to kill pathogenic bacteria and remove volatile residues from silicone rubber. Compared with traditional four-hour postcuring in a 200°C oven, the cold wash technique can reduce process time by 75% and costs by up to 35%, according to Nanon a/s (Brøndby, Denmark).
“The technology opens up new opportunities for the use of silicone rubber in medical devices, whether they are used on the skin or inside the body,” says Thomas Christensen, VP, business development, at Nanon. Products that will benefit most from this technology include silicone implants, catheters, drainage tubes, and baby-bottle nipples.
The cold curing method involves washing the silicone rubber in pressurized liquid CO2 for 45 minutes. The solution penetrates and dissolves volatile residues in the material. After diffusion, the content of substances such as free silicone oils is reduced to between 0.1 and 0.3%, significantly lower than the EN 14350-2 requirement of 0.5%. Excess silicone oils can cause contamination and may harm patients during operations.
Because the parts are processed at low temperatures, problems such as slit healing that sometimes occur during oven treatment can be avoided. Cold curing can ensure that holes in silicone rubber parts will remain open during and after processing.
Furthermore, the new technique is environmentally friendly because it operates in a closed loop, eliminating the risk of emissions of free silicone oils and silica dusts. The used CO2 is recycled and will not contribute to the greenhouse effect.
Representatives from the firm will be present at MEDTEC Stuttgart to discuss cold curing technology and other services available from the company.
