| Ticona Press Release |  |
Ticona Introduces Riteflex® Thermoplastic Elastomers for Medical, Pharmaceutical and Food-Contact Uses
Ticona, the technical polymers business of Celanese AG (FSE: CZZ), has introduced the Riteflex® MT9000 series of copolyester thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) certified for use in drug delivery systems, medical devices, pharmaceutical and other healthcare applications, as well as in repeat-use, food-contact applications.
Riteflex® TPE MT9000 grades comply with U.S. Pharmacopeia Class VI and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA Drug and Device Master Files have been established. These grades contain no plasticizers or animal ingredients. The series encompasses seven grades – Riteflex® TPE MT9635, MT9640, MT9647, MT9655, MT9663, MT9672 and MT9677 – that are excellent candidates for use in such applications as medical tubing, stoppers, transdermal patches and intravenous bags. They can be compounded in various FDA-compliant colors.
These TPEs offer a wide range of properties. Riteflex® TPE MT9635 has a Shore D hardness of 35, a flexural modulus of 8,800 PSI and a melt temperature of 163°C. Riteflex® TPE MT9672 has a Shore D hardness of 72, a flexural modulus of 100,000 PSI and a melt temperature of 210°C. They also can be sterilized by all common methods from autoclaving to gamma radiation.
The Riteflex® TPE MT9000 series is part of Ticona's MT medical technology line, which holds resin formulation steady for extended times so devices and packaging will not need to be requalified due to a change in material. Ticona MT grades also undergo independent testing for biocompatibility with skin, blood and tissue, e.g., USP 23 Class VI.
Riteflex® elastomers have the softness, flexibility and resilience of rubber, yet are processed like thermoplastics by conventional molding and extrusion processes. They combine toughness and tear and flex fatigue resistance with good performance from -40° to 121°C. They also resist common solvents, oils, greases and dilute acids and bases. They are typically used in hoses, tubing, seals, gaskets, belts, pump diaphragms, wire coatings, films, sheets, nonwovens and monofilaments, among other applications.
About Ticona and Celanese Celanese AG is a global chemicals company with leading positions in its key products and world class process technology. The Celanese portfolio consists of four main businesses: Chemical Products, Acetate Products, Technical Polymers Ticona, and Performance Products. The Performance Products business consists of Nutrinova sweeteners and food ingredients.
Celanese generated sales of around € 4.1 billion in 2003 and has about 9,500 employees. The company has 24 production plants and six research centers in 10 countries mainly in North America, Europe and Asia. Celanese AG shares are listed on the Frankfurt stock exchange (symbol CZZ) and on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol CZ).
Ticona, the technical polymers business of Celanese AG, Kronberg, Germany, produces and markets a broad range of engineering polymers and achieved sales of € 675 million in 2003. Ticona has approximately 2,000 employees at production, compounding and research facilities in the USA, Germany and Brazil. Ticona markets Celcon® and Hostaform® acetal copolymer (POM), Celanex® polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), Fortron® polyphenylene sulfide, Vectra® liquid crystal polymer (LCP), Impet® polyethylene terephthalate (PET), Vandar® thermoplastic polyester alloy, Riteflex® thermoplastic polyester elastomer, GUR® ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE), Topas® cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), and Celstran® and Compel® long-fiber reinforced thermoplastic (LFRT).
