Many of the devices, monitors, and instruments that are used in life science and medical applications require some type of filtration, venting, diffusion, absorption, adsorption, or diffusion function to operate effectively. Polystar Technologies’ sintered, porous polymeric media provides solutions to serve:  

• Wicking function to safely absorb or wick blood and other bodily fluids

• Barrier or filtration functions to prevent the ingress of water, fluid, smoke, dust, or other contaminants

• Venting function to dissipate heat or pressure generated by an IV pump, dialysis pump, or other type of medical equipment

• Diffusion function to properly administer metered or measured doses of creams, lotions, ointments, salves, gels or other liquids

• Shielding function to prevent electromagnetic interference (EMI)

The following are just a few of the many life science and medical products that incorporate porous media:

• Air and gas sensors

• Air and gas sterilizing filters

• Air filters

• Adsorbent vents

• Aqueous solution applicators

• AED vents

• Affinity filters and supports

• Applicator tips

• Biocontainer and bioreactor vent filters

• Blood collection products

• BTE hearing aids

• Cap & closure vents

• Catheter vents

• Column frits and filters

• Continence care products

• Controlled release applicators

Whether you need a standard polymeric material or a medical-grade plastic,look to Polystar Technologies to help find solutions for issues you may face in the life sciences, laboratory, and medical device areas.

Applicator Tips, Fluid Delivery & Collection Systems

Wherever fluids are applied, collected, or delivered to the body, porous plastic applicator heads and components are often used to collect or deliver those liquids in a measured, controlled fashion.  

Porous plastics from Polystar Technologies are suitable for use in applicator tips, fluid delivery components, and fluid-absorbing wicks or wipers. These components, designed for fluid-based applicators, fluid delivery and fluid collection systems, are sterilizable by either EtO (ethylene oxide) or gamma processes. They can be used in wound closure applications, for filtering certain liquids, or to collect blood or bodily fluids in a wide range of applications.

Polystar Technologies works with medical device and component designers to provide optimal wicking of the liquid from reservoir to tip surface or, from point of contact into the reservoir. The structural integrity and flexibility of Polystar Technologies’ materials helps to ensure suitability for each individual application.

Aspiration & Respiratory Equipment / Breath Monitors

Many aspirators, respiratory devices, and gas analyzers use porous media as either barrier materials, barrier-vents, filters, or filter-vents. Polystar Technologies works with design engineers from equipment and device manufacturers to provide porous plastics solutions that serve functions such as:  

• Barrier protection

• Filtration

• Waterproof venting and filtration

• Venting

• Medical ventilator filters

• In-line vents

• Capnography filters

• Shutoff filters

• Respirator filters

• CO2 Insufflation device filters

• Patient monitoring equipment filters

• Pulmonary function test device filters

• Spirometer filters

Whether for humidifiers, nebulizers, CPAP (positive airway pressure) devices, oxygen concentrators, ventilators, inhalers, tracheostomy apparatus or oxygen cannula, look to Polystar Technologies to help protect your respiratory devices and keep them working optimally. The structural integrity and flexibility of our materials helps ensure suitability to each individual application with protection from issues that arise due to the ingress of bodily fluids, oils, aerosols, water, dust or food particles.

Laboratory Sciences

Porous frits and filters from Polystar Technologies are used in a variety of medical, scientific, and laboratory applications. Made of sintered porous Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) that is non-cytotoxic and USP23 approved, they can be sterilized with steam or ethylene oxide. Polystar Technologies’ proprietary manufacturing process, PolySmart™, provides excellent control over pore size and distribution, enhancing the three-dimensional pore structure of sintered PTFE. This ensures superior performance and excellent resistance to pressure-induced pore closure.

Frits, filters, and other laboratory products from Polystar Technologies can be produced from PTFE, PES, PE, PP, or other materials. PTFE frits and filters are typically recommended for use with most organic solvents (see Chemical Compatability Chart in Materials section) as well as high sensitivity work and trace analysis for liquid chromatographic systems (LC, HPLC or UPLC). Frit and filter components fit within the solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridge which helps to isolate analytes of interest from a wide variety of matrices such as biofluids, pharmaceuticals, water, soil, and beverages.

Medical Device Enclosures

Medical device enclosures need to operate reliably in Operating Rooms (OR), Emergency Departments (ED), and other demanding environments where liquids, blood, bodily fluids, particles and particulates could damage sensitive electronics.  Many of these medical devices may need to vent, muffle sound, or permit acoustic transparency, to ensure high instrumentation performance. Sintered porous media from Polystar Technologies can be used to provide:

• Acoustic vents or barrier protection for hearing aids and other devices

• Acoustically-transparent vents for different types of devices

• Vents for insulin, fluid delivery, infusion, or peristaltic pumps, as well as automated external defibrillators (AEDs)

• Venting and filtration solutions for fluid or drug delivery systems

Look to Polystar Technologies for solutions to help protect your medical instruments and medical instrumentation enclosures from issues that could arise due to the ingress of bodily fluids, oils, aerosols, water, dust or other particulate matter.

API Delivery Systems

Polystar Technologies’ porous media can be used as part of drug repository or drug delivery systems that supply active pharmaceutical ingredients (API’s) to patients in a metered fashion.  The drug reservoir or repository can be developed from polymeric, medical-grade porous plastic that is:

• Configured both for robustness and dosage accuracy

• Customized for air flow, chemical resistance, and consistent release of the desired drug

• Optimized for loading and absorption of the drug into the porous material

• Tailored to specific design geometries and parameters

Porous media from Polystar Technologies can be used in a variety of medical, scientific, and laboratory applications. Depending on the regulatory requirements, media can be non-cytotoxic, USP23 approved, and sterilized with steam or ethylene oxide. Polystar Technologies’ proprietary process, PolySmart™,  provides excellent control over pore size and distribution while enhancing the three-dimensional pore structure of sintered PTFE. This ensures superior performance and excellent resistance to pressure-induced pore closure.

Note: Properties and applications shown are representative, but not necessarily specific to any particular customer or use. Your specific application should not be undertaken without independent study, evaluation for suitability, and rigorous testing and validation.