PVC Heat stabilizers for medical applications-1

The pandemic has changed the world in many ways like never before. But there is a silver lining. Plastics have gained great respect in society in general thanks to the contribution of PPE kits and medical devices in the fight against Covid-19. Plastic has been the undoubted hero in this battle that protected frontline workers as a shield and helped to cure patients in the form of medical devices.

Among all the plastics, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is used in medical applications widely due to the unique combination of properties. PVC is an ‘additive friendly’ polymer, and with the help of various additives, it can be made either flexible or rigid, transparent, opaque or translucent. Other than these physical properties PVC is durable, biocompatible and resistant to harsh chemicals. These properties may seem obvious at first glance, but it sets PVC apart from other materials if we look at it closely. 

For example, glass is very good for chemical resistivity and biocompatibility but there’s a limitation due to the rigid and brittle nature of glass. It can’t be used for all applications and careful handling is required. Whereas, PVC can replace glass in many applications as it not only provides required biocompatibility and chemical resistance but also the toughness of material in terms of mechanical properties allows it to be used with little care. Similarly, PVC also gives an advantage over metal as it doesn’t corrode and has great chemical resistance. Hence lipids, alcohol, acids and bases can be stored safely in a PVC container.