Options for using medical-grade silicone lubricants

Center Valley, Pennsylvania – Avantor recently published an informative new white paper from its NuSil brand to help medical device manufacturers evaluate and select the right type of lubricious solution for their applications.

“Medical-Grade Silicone Lubricants for Medical Devices” provides an overview of relevant considerations when selecting biocompatible silicone lubricants, from lubricant properties and device substrates, to criteria in purity and customization. It also includes a selection guide to help readers choose an appropriate lubricant based on application requirements and limitations.

The NuSil white paper walks through the importance of understanding the interactions of different formulations with different substrates in the manufacturing process, as well as overall performance benefits for various applications.

Visit www.NuSil.com/siliconelubricants to download the free white paper or to learn more about NuSil brand silicone lubricious coatings and materials.

Information is also included about the nature of common substrates that need to be lubricated, such as silicone, metal, glass, and plastic, as well as the reasons that materials and surfaces require different types of silicone lubricants. In addition, the topic of customization is covered, given the possible variations in premium silicone lubricant formulations and different application demands.

“Silicone chemistries can be modified to accommodate lubricity, substrate compatibility, performance characteristics and cure chemistries,” says Dr. Jim Lambert, technology & innovation director, biomaterials. “With the decision points involved in selecting and working with medical-grade silicone lubricants and formulators, this paper serves as a starting point to help device manufacturers select appropriate lubricants as well as a manufacturer that can meet their specifications, on a batch-to-batch level.”