Friedrichshafen, Germany — Disinfectants and plastics often are a bad match. RTP Co. hopes to changes that with its RTP 2000 HC compounds.
The materials are designed to maintain strength, functionality and integrity, even with repeated exposure to hospital cleaners used to disinfect medical devices.
“There's been a proliferation of sterilizing and disinfectants in hospital environments,” Europe managing director Jean Sirois said Oct. 15 at the Fakuma 2015 trade show in Friedrichshafen. “They have an impact on plastic surfaces.”
Sirois added that officials with Winona, Minn.-based RTP “were hearing complaints about disinfectants attacking plastics” in EKG equipment, X-ray machines or other medical measuring devices that are moved from room to room in hospitals, increasing their exposure to microbes and bacteria.
Although Sirois declined to say what resins RTP 2000 HC compounds are based on, he confirmed that the materials — which were tested on 12 disinfectants — can replace polycarbonate or PC/ABS in medical applications.
RTP 2000 HC is commercial now and is available globally.
At Fakuma 2015, RTP also was spotlighting higher-strength polypropylene compounds, very long fiber-reinforced PP compounds for auto interiors and flame retardant plastics for low smoke, heat and flame spread applications.
The firm also was touting compounds for the commercial aircraft market based Radel-brand PPSU resins from Solvay Specialty Polymers. RTP struck a deal with Solvay SP earlier this year to make the compounds.
RTP ranks as one of North America's 30 largest compounders and concentrate makers. The firm operates 17 plants worldwide, making compounds based on 60 different engineering resins.
