Wherever you are reading this blog, you
are bound to be surrounded by items made from or at least containing plastic.
Since their introduction in the early decades of the 20th century,
these materials have had a transformative effect, completely changing the look
and feel of the world around us. Many forms of plastic have become household
names. For example, most people have heard of polyethylene, polyester, acrylic
and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
One area in which plastics have had a
particularly noteworthy impact is medical science. These materials are used in
myriad ways across the healthcare industry, from lab research to patient care.
Properties
It’s little wonder that medical and
pharmaceutical companies have turned to plastics. After all, these materials
possess a variety of attractive properties. For example, plastics have a
relatively low density, meaning they are lightweight. Despite this fact, they
can be extremely strong. In addition, the materials offer excellent thermal and
electrical insulation and they are corrosion resistant to many substances that
can harm other materials.
Plastics are easy to shape too, making
them ideal for the manufacturing process. Furthermore, they can be treated to
display a range of visual qualities. Depending on the requirements of
manufacturers, they can be transformed into different colours or made
transparent. They are also often cheaper than alternative materials.
When selecting plastics, medical and
pharmaceutical firms can opt for versions that exhibit the perfect traits for
the particular uses they have in mind. For example, high density polythene is
hard, stiff and able to be sterilised, making it ideal for plastic bottles and
tubing. Meanwhile, polypropylene is light, tough and has good resistance to
chemicals. These characteristics make it a popular choice for medical and
laboratory equipment. PVC is another favourite among healthcare companies. This
is seen as a safe and cost effective material for a range of packaging
solutions.
Uses
There are too many uses of plastics in
the medical sector to list here, but some of the most important include
intravenous bags, surgical gloves, tubing, syringes, petri dishes and bottles.
The materials also make up key components in a range of prosthetic devices and
they can be utilised as artificial hips and knees. Other common uses include
braces, glasses frames and contact lenses.
Additionally, plastics are used to create
sealed, tamper-evident packaging and to produce child-resistant caps for
medicines.
Much of the complex equipment now used in
labs and medical units, such as MRI machines and defibrillators, are crafted
using plastics too.
An immeasurable contribution
In an article entitled ‘Plastics - No
Need To Apologise’, which was featured in the Trends in Polymer Science
journal, chemistry expert Norman Billingham summed up the vital role that
plastics have played in the field of healthcare. He remarked: “From packaging
materials, through fibres, foams and surface coatings, to continuous extrusions
and large-scale mouldings, plastics have transformed almost every aspect of
life. Without them, much of modern medicine would be impossible.”
He added: “Plastic sewage and water pipes
alone have made an immeasurable contribution to public health worldwide.”
Looking to the future
Plastics are certainly here to stay.
Their impressive qualities are simply irresistible to designers and
manufacturers operating in the medical and pharmaceutical industries. As
organisations continue to find new ways to harness the power of plastics, we
can look forward to evermore advanced and interesting uses of the materials.
When companies are on the lookout for
plastics, they can now turn to top-quality providers such as A.I.
International.
Posted by Tim Sandle
