When it comes to healthcare, we all want the best products available to us and our families. We need to make sure that the tools used by healthcare professionals are absolutely safe, clean, and reliable. They want to improve the efficacy of medications and medical devices without sacrificing patient comfort. How can silicones be used in healthcare?
Compatible with body fluids and rubber-like material, medical silicone is the preferred choice, helping to enhance patient comfort and quality of care. Medical-grade silicone has excellent thermal and chemical stability and can withstand repeated sterilization to maintain the performance properties of medical devices. Some medical-grade silicones materials, such as silicon dioxide, and ultra-transparent liquid silicone rubber, offer glass-like transparency and excellent elasticity for use in medical electronics and healthcare devices. Medical silicone can be used in medical device manufacturing a variety of medical devices, coatings, dressings, and artificial organs to meet the diverse needs of the medical field.
The following four aspects of the medical applications of silicone:
- What are the characteristics of silicone?
- What are the characteristics of silicone?
- What are the typical applications of silicone?
- How to make medical products perform better?
1. What are the properties of silicone?
Silicone rubber base rubber main chain for the Si-O-Si structure, silicon atoms connected to the group in addition to methyl (-CH3) can also be introduced into other amino, methoxy, and so on. The inorganic silicon-oxygen structure and the molecular structure of organic groups in silicone rubber make it a typical semi-inorganic polymer. The characteristics of this unique molecular structure gives silicone rubber special properties, making it a class of special polymer materials. From the physiological point of view, silicone materials are currently known as one of the most inactive compounds, and other compounds do not have the physiological inertia flame retardant in chemical process, which is currently widely used in biological, microbiological, and medical industries.
As long as the correct choice of silicone elastomer crosslinking, catalytic system, after full vulcanization of silicone rubber is odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, very resistant to biological aging, has good biocompatibility, and the body tissue reaction is slight, basically harmless to the human body, and basically no adverse effects on the environment, with excellent physiological inertia.
2. What is the role of silicone?
(1) Protection of health
The production of medical and baby care products applied to silicone can achieve the highest quality standards required by health care professionals and their patients. Silicones are antimicrobial, easy to sterilize, and ideal for use in sensitive environments.
Respiratory tubes and topical medications are just two examples. Silicones do not react with other materials and do not irritate the body. There are no adverse side effects or allergic reactions for both external and internal use.
(2) Improving quality of life
Silicones can bring comfort and well-being. Silicones can make materials softer, smoother, and more flexible. It reduces the irritation of topical medications, makes catheters more comfortable, and reduces wear and tear on prostheses.
Medical devices made with silicone have excellent adhesion; elasticity; high stability; antimicrobial; high strength and durability; and are non-reactive with most chemicals and substances.
3. What are the typical applications of silicone?
The following are a few examples of the wide range of applications of silicone elastomers in the medical device industry (for component composition) and in the pharmaceutical field.
(1) Adhesives
Medical adhesives are extremely versatile and essential, with benefits including excellent skin bonding properties; longer and more durable effectiveness, even in high humidity; bonding to a wide range of tissues without residue; easy removal of materials such as patches and other materials that adhere to the skin, as well as ease of cutting for use on elbows, knees, and other difficult-to-apply areas; no byproducts; improved absorption of skin patch drugs Absorbability of skin patches
(2) Dental care
Silicone has excellent stability, tear strength, and non-reactivity, and is a key component for compression molding when reconstructing bridges and crowns that require accurate replication of teeth and gingival lines.
XJY-8206 Methyl Vinyl MQ Silicone Resin
It is a solid powder resin that can be used as a reinforcing filler for additive molded silicone rubber (highly concentrated rubber), with high transparency and high hardness.
XJY-8206N Methyl vinyl MQ silicone resin + vinyl polydimethylsiloxane
It is a colorless and transparent liquid silicone rubber LSR, composed of vinyl MQ silicone resin and vinyl silicone oil. It can be used with other additives in liquid silicone rubber(high consistency rubber) and also has good reinforcing and hardening properties, widely used in the medical field and electronics (computer chips).
XJY-302 Silicone Pressure Sensitive Adhesive
It is a platinum-cured pressure-sensitive adhesive, that also can be used in the medical field.
(3) Baby Care
Silicones can be used to make strong and durable yet flexible baby bottle nipples, breast pumps, splash valves, and rubber nipples.
(4) Drugs
Silicones can enhance the efficacy of certain drugs and improve absorption. Silicone can be used as an antifoaming agent for the over-the-counter treatment of intestinal gas and can also be used in other prescription drugs. Silicones have excellent absorption properties. When used in transdermal patches, they can help the drug penetrate into the skin, thus improving the efficacy of the drug.
(5) Limb Restoration
Silicones can maximize the stimulation of the skin's properties, bringing unusual cushioning protection and comfort. Materials made of silicone can be molded into the shape of the liner and can be maintained for a long time without deformation. Silicones also inhibit the growth of bacteria, helping to reduce the risk of infection.
(6) Respirators
Silicone respirators are popular with healthcare professionals because they are comfortable, flexible, and easy to clean. In addition, silicone has low allergenicity. Respirator bags made of transparent silicone materials have excellent expansion characteristics and can withstand extreme temperatures.
(7) Topical medications and lubricants
Silicones make lotions and creams softer and smoother, leaving no greasy residue after use while providing a protective barrier for wounds during the healing process. In topical forms of medication, silicones can improve drug distribution, making it easier and more comfortable to administer medications with a smooth, non-greasy feel. Silicone lubricants can also ease the discomfort of needle and instrument insertion.
(8) Catheters
Catheters are used by healthcare professionals for intravenous drug administration, experimental research, and pacemakers. The use of silicone catheters in some medical devices reduces the risk of infection because silicone does not harbor bacteria and can be easily sterilized.
Silicone Benefits to Consumers and Society Silicone is an important part of healthcare in hospitals, doctors' offices, and at home. Silicones are easy to sterilize, easy to clean, non-irritating, and less allergenic. From dental care to prosthetics, silicones are indispensable for innovative treatments and care that maximize comfort and safety in sensitive environments.
4. How can medical products perform better?
The medical properties of silicones were discovered around the mid-1940s, and research began. After more than 10 years of development in the 20th century, in the 1960s, silicone was recognized by researchers to be made into medical products, and foreign media continued to follow this progress. How to improve the competitiveness of products?
XJY Silicones is one of the leading silicone MQ resin and VMQ silicone manufacturers in China, with more than 30 years of R&D and manufacturing experience in the silicone industry and more than 15 related patents and technical support. Our silicone raw material products can meet the needs of the medical field and support the provision of diversified customized solutions.
