Scientists at the Wrexham, UK, division of Porvair Filtration Group have developed BioVyon porous plastic materials which can now be used in a wide variety of medical and pharmaceutical applications to offer better healthcare, improve medical knowledge and help with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
The utility of BioVyon, coupled to Protein A or G or other highly selective biochemical reagents such as antibodies, opens up a whole range of new assay tools to help molecular biologists and clinicians understand diseases - and more of these assays kits are in Porvair’s product development pipeline.
BioVyon is a versatile plastic
BioVyon is a versatile plastic which can be employed in a wide range of functions across the entire medical sector. The requirements of materials for these market sectors are usually far more stringent than that for industrial applications.
They need to be contamination-free with very low levels of leachables and with full traceability. Regulatory approval is also an essential prerequisite for many products in these sectors.
Sintered porous plastics - whereby porous materials are produced by fusing together plastic particles using controlled application of heat - have been used for many years for a myriad of industrial processes.
These sintered materials can be made from most thermoplastic polymers but are primarily made from polyethylene or polypropylene and are typically produced with a pore size range from five to 100 micron and with porosities between 35 to 50% (open volume).
Porvair’s sintered porous products are available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, as small as 2mm or as large as 2m in diameter. They can be moulded into complex three dimensional shapes, or cut from roll or flat sheet. The defined pore size distribution combined with a material exhibiting excellent robustness and chemical resistance are essential properties for these applications.
The Vyon range of porous materials also offer excellent chemical compatibility, exceptional strength and are resistant to most acids, bases, many organic chemicals and temperatures up to 110˚C (230˚F).
Typical industrial applications include water and air filtration, sound attenuation, fragrance emanation, vacuum table beds, powder fluidisation and battery venting.
