Medical dialyzer shell reform medical PP replaces medical PC

Recently, medical dialyzers are undergoing a material reform. Medical dialyzer manufacturers use medical PP, such as Formosa PP-5090R,LOTTE TIPP-670M, SK PP---GA260R, to replace traditional medical PC.

Patients with end-stage renal failure rely on hemodialysis (or simply dialysis) to survive. A machine called a dialyzer acts like an external artificial kidney, removing blood from the body, filtering out harmful impurities and returning the blood to the body. All such machines contain a filter element that contains extremely fine filter media housed in a plastic housing. However, the industry is undergoing a major shift in the types of polymers used to manufacture these cartridges, which affects all players in the market, from contract manufacturers to brand owners.

Generally speaking, medical dialyzer shells are usually made of polycarbonate (PC). Polycarbonate (PC) is an amorphous thermoplastic polymer with excellent dimensional stability, high strength and good heat and cold resistance. For example, Covestro Makrolon® RX2530, CHIMEI WONDERLITE® PC-115P, Mitsubishi IUPILON™ EP-3001R. These brands of medical-grade PC are widely used in medical dialyzers due to their anti-gamma ray, anti-radiation sterilization, and high transparency characteristics. shell. But that has changed recently.

Not only is PC a relatively expensive polymer, costing 2-5 times more than polypropylene (PP), but it is also more difficult to process because it must be dried before molding or extrusion. Of greatest concern to manufacturers and brand owners in the dialysis market is the fact that PC contains bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical that has been linked to adverse health effects. Plastics containing BPA are not banned, mainly because low levels of this compound are easily eliminated by normal kidney function. However, according to the latest research, serum BPA levels accumulate as kidney function declines and are highest in chronic kidney disease patients receiving hemodialysis. Therefore, we cannot extrapolate the safety of BPA in the general population to the dialysis population.

Why choose medical grade PP instead of medical PC for dialyzer shell?

Dialyzer manufacturers are increasingly turning to alternative materials due to the cost of medical PC and bisphenol A (BPA) concerns. In some cases, medical grade acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), medical grade polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), medical grade polysulfone (PSU), medical grade polyphenylene sulfide-aniline (PPSA) are used or medical grade polyethylene (PE), but medical grade polypropylene (PP) is preferred in most cases. PP is non-toxic, odorless, low density, not affected by humidity, relatively cheap and easy to process.

Which medical grade PP on the market meet the requirements for making dialyzer shells?

Lotte TIPP -670M: It is a Transparent-Impact resistance, Gamma-ray resistance Polypropylene. This polypropylene with high transparency and strength is manufactured with new polymerization process technology.

Formosa Plastics PP-5090R: It has high transparency, good chemical resistance, and is suitable for gamma-ray disinfection.

SK PP---GA260R: This medical app is not well known. It was jointly developed by Sinopec and South Korea's SK. It is resistant to yellowing, gamma rays and radiation sterilization.

These medical PPs are often used in medical fluid bag/bottle, medical syringe, medical transparent part. And they have passed biocompatibility reports, FDA, USP Class VI and other medical grade certifications.

 What are the prices and costs of medical PP in the Chinese market?

Medical PP in the Chinese market benefits from its superior geographical location, abundant energy resources, and government policies. Compared with the international market, the price of PP in the Chinese market is very cost-effective. However, the demand for medical PP applications in the Chinese market is huge,and in the future development of the medical market, the application and performance of medical PP will continue to be updated and improved in line with people's needs. In addition, many traders from other countries are now coming to China to look for more medical PP suppliers.

If you are a manufacturer of medical dialyzer shells, you would like to know more about the solution of replacing medical PC with medical-grade PP. Please contact us.

QINGDAO PRIME TRADE CO., LTD is a company with more than 20 years of experience that specializes in distributing international brand engineering plastic particles. It mainly represents: CHIMEI ABS, HANWHA TOTAL PP, SABIC PPO, and PC special materials.We also have our own modification processing factory, Qingdao Mattel Plastic Co., Ltd., with a professional technical team to provide you with fast and professional services to meet the needs of customers at different levels.