— APPLICATION
Polypropylene for medical devices, syringes and labware
Choosing PP for syringes, labware or diagnostic parts starts with the documentation, not the property sheet. Before a converter compares stiffness or flow, it needs to know what the producer will state about the grade, for which uses, and how changes will be notified. This page explains how we handle those questions and shows the grades we can offer for evaluation.
— REQUIREMENTS
What a device part asks of the polymer
A syringe barrel must be clear enough to read the dose and must hold its shape when the plunger moves. In a two-part syringe the plunger runs directly against the barrel, so friction matters. Pipette tips and microplates need long, thin walls to fill evenly and stay flat after demoulding, or they will not seat in an automated rack. Diagnostic housings often need a stiff, stable part with tight tolerances.
Every one of these parts also has to survive a sterilisation route, and a grade suited to steam may not be suited to irradiation.
— SELECTION
Choosing a grade for syringes, labware and diagnostics
Clear syringe barrels usually use a polypropylene random copolymer. In two-part syringes the plunger slides on bare plastic, so a grade with a slip agent helps it move smoothly.
Labware and diagnostics lean on homopolymers for stiffness. High-flow grades fill fine tips and multi-cavity tools, and nucleation helps thin parts hold their shape. If the part will be sterilised by gamma or electron beam, look for a grade with an irradiation-stabilising package. Unstabilised polypropylene can yellow and turn brittle after a dose.
Impact copolymers suit parts that are dropped or snapped together. HDPE turns up mainly in healthcare closures and tubes, which are covered in more depth on caps and closures. Blister and infusion-bag grades belong to pharmaceutical packaging.
— GRADES
Grades we can supply
These grades are offered for evaluation. Check each data sheet and regulatory summary against your intended use before trials.
PP homopolymer
CertyForm
·
Velogy
PP
CertyForm P1001
PP homopolymer
Polypropylene homopolymer for injection moulding and film applications, typically used in medical device components, closures and labware parts.
Injection moulding
Film extrusion
Industries
Medical & healthcare
CertyForm
·
Velogy
PP
CertyForm P1141
PP homopolymer
CertyForm P1141 is a nucleated polypropylene homopolymer containing antistatic additives, for injection moulding. It combines good stiffness with good flow properties.
Injection moulding
Industries
Medical & healthcare
CertyForm
·
Velogy
PP
CertyForm P1680
PP homopolymer
CertyForm P1680 is a nucleated polypropylene homopolymer with stabilising additives for irradiation, for injection moulding. It combines very high stiffness with good transparency.
Injection moulding
Industries
Medical & healthcare
PP random copolymer
CertyForm
·
Velogy
PP
CertyForm R1540
PP random copolymer
CertyForm R1540 is a nucleated polypropylene random copolymer containing an antistatic agent, for injection moulding. It combines very good flow properties with good transparency.
Injection moulding
Industries
Medical & healthcare
CertyForm
·
Velogy
PP
CertyForm R1380
PP random copolymer
CertyForm R1380 is a polypropylene random copolymer for injection moulding, with good transparency and a balanced physical and mechanical property profile.
Injection moulding
Industries
Medical & healthcare
CertyForm
·
Velogy
PP
CertyForm R1330
PP random copolymer
CertyForm R1330 is a polypropylene random copolymer for injection moulding, with good transparency.
Injection moulding
Industries
Medical & healthcare
HDPE
CertyForm
·
Velogy
HDPE
CertyForm H0700
HDPE
CertyForm H0700 is a high-density polyethylene combining organoleptic properties with a balance of stiffness, toughness and environmental stress-cracking resistance.
Injection moulding
Industries
Consumer goods
Medical & healthcare
Rigid packaging
CertyForm
·
Velogy
HDPE
CertyForm H1201
HDPE
CertyForm H1201 is a high-density polyethylene for injection moulding. It has good flow and high rigidity.
Injection moulding
Industries
Consumer goods
Medical & healthcare
Rigid packaging
— NEED HELP CHOOSING?
Not sure which grade fits?
Describe the device, its sterilisation route and the markets you sell into.
— PROCESSING
Moulding for tight tolerances
Most device parts are injection moulded, often in multi-cavity tools under cleanroom conditions. Clarity and dimensional accuracy depend on melt temperature, injection speed and cooling, so trial conditions should be agreed before samples are moulded and then held through qualification. See the polypropylene overview for the differences between homopolymer, random and impact grades.
Injection moulding
Sheet extrusion/thermoforming
— DOCUMENTATION
Documentation, not a "medical grade" label
We do not call any grade "medical grade". Suitability depends on the device, its classification and the market. Under the Medical Device Regulation (EU) 2017/745, the device manufacturer must meet the safety and performance requirements in Annex I, which cover the choice of materials and their compatibility with tissue and body fluids. Biological evaluation normally follows ISO 10993-1. We route requests for the producer's technical data sheet, safety data sheet and regulatory summary, where the producer states which uses a grade supports and which it restricts. Ask about change-notification terms at the same time; they matter for long qualification cycles.
— PRODUCERS
Producers for this application
— FAQ
Common questions
Is there a medical-grade polypropylene?
Which sterilisation methods can these grades take?
Can you supply samples for a qualification run?
— RELATED
