The paper, "Improved Medical Stopper Solutions with High Performance, Anionic Isoprene Rubber," compares the chemistry and performance of four rubber families that are currently used in medical stoppers: anionic polyisoprene (IR); Ziegler-Natta IR; chlorobutyl rubber; and bromobutyl rubber. The study was performed by a third party using regular medical stopper test protocols. It showed that medical stoppers made with Cariflex(TM) polyisoprene products, an anionic IR made by Kraton Performance Polymers, could easily pass the extraction test under Japanese Pharmacopeia (JP) 7-03 (XV revision 2006), which is the most stringent protocol, while Ziegler-Natta IR failed or only marginally passed.
"The results of the study will demonstrate that anionic isoprene rubber delivers a unique combination of advantages including the absence of natural rubber proteins present in NR, an odor-free formulation with very low residual metals and no residual catalysts, low needle insertion force, and minimal risk of rubber fragmentation (coring) and medication contamination due to needle insertion," said Dr. Philippe Henderson of Kraton Polymers. The anionic polymerization process is unique to Kraton Polymers for the manufacture of high molecular weight polyisoprene.
Dr. Henderson's presentation is scheduled at 4:15 p.m., on Tuesday, October 9, 2012 at the International Rubber Expo, 182nd Technical Meeting & Educational Symposium, Cincinnati, OH, in room 203-204 at the Duke Energy Center. To register for the event, please visit the Expo website. Personal interviews to discuss the study or Cariflex polyisoprene products may be scheduled by contacting Marcie Coronado at 281-504-4975, or [email protected].
Cariflex polyisoprene products are the ideal alternative to natural rubber for applications that demand extreme purity, exceptional protection and consistently high quality. Cariflex products offer a pure and versatile option for manufacturing applications that require the high tensile strength and tear resistance of natural rubber without the impurities that cause discoloration, odor and allergic reactions. For additional information about Cariflex products, please visit the Kraton website.
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