PEEK medical grade

TECAPEEK MT

TECAPEEK MT medical grades (PEEK) are high performance materials with an exceptional mechanical property profile, largely maintained at high temperatures above 212°F. PEEK medical grades (Ensinger TECAPEEK MT) exhibit excellent resistance to customary methods of sterilization. Combined with very good chemical resistance, PEEK medical grades from Ensinger offer the highest degree of safety for medical applications.

PEEK medical grades (Ensinger TECAPEEK MT) were specially developed to meet the requirements for materials used in medical technology. The fields of applications are vast, and range from the orthopedic market, with the joint reconstruction and traumatology segments, to surgical instruments, the dental market and many more.

Biocompatibility

TECAPEEK MT medical grades are suitable for all medical applications that require biocompatibility with limited contact with skin and tissue for up to 24 hours, and where applicable, indirect contact with blood.

TECAPEEK MT, TECAPEEK MT CF30 and TECAPEEK MT XRO plastics are tested according to ISO 10993.  Moreover, TECAPEEK MT natural is tested according to USP Class VI.

TECAPEEK MT CLASSIXTM offers USP VI conformity on raw material. Further tests are run batch-­to-batch according to ISO 10993-5 on stock shapes. 

Key characteristics

All medical grade PEEK materials are characterized by their excellent mechanical properties even at high temperatures. Other outstanding properties are:

  • Very good chemical resistance
  • Very good resistance to sterilization
  • Good radiation resistance
  • High stress crack resistance 
  • High dimensional stability 

Steam sterilisation resistance 

Hot steam sterilization: TECAPEEK MT shows no significant loss of mechanical properties, even above 1,500 sterilization cycles. Also, further negative influences like discoloration or color change (yellowing) or even calcification are not seen above 1,500 cycles.
Sterilisation tests were performed using plastic test specimens without cleaning cycles. The sterilisation temperature was 134°C with a sterilisation time of 10 min. and a drying time of 20 min. The chamber pressure was 3 bar. Other effects influencing the cleaning process (with Ecolab, Borer etc.) were not investigated. Due to the chemical resistance of the individual materials and practical experience it must be assumed that the cleaning cycles have a significant influence on the sterilisation resistance. The sterilisation resistance, in particular of PP-HT and to a lesser degree POM-C, is significantly impaired by this. It must therefore be assumed that the sterilisation resistance will be significantly lower than described. We typically define PP-HT with approx. 200 sterilisation cycles and POM-C with approx. 300 - 400 cycles.
 

PEEK MEDICAL GRADE Portfolio

Whether you choose TECAPEEK MT, TECAPEEK MT CF30 or TECAPEEK MT CLASSIXTM Ensinger offers just the right product for every application, especially for direct contact with skin and tissue. 
Our MT Portfolio also includes → TECATEC MT medical grade composite.

TECAPEEK MT

TECAPEEK MT rods and plates can be ordered in a wide range of color options and dimensions. Our vast range of stock offers our customers just-in-time delivery and reduces supply chain leadtimes. The different colors allow greater flexibility when designing your applications, e.g. to easily distinguish between different instruments and sizes or differentiate from competitors' products by color branding.
TECAPEEK MT rods and plates can be ordered in a wide range of color options and dimensions. Our vast range of stock offers our customers just-in-time delivery and reduces supply chain leadtimes. The different colors allow greater flexibility when designing your applications, e.g. to easily distinguish between different instruments and sizes or differentiate from competitors' products by color branding.

TECAPEEK MT CF30

For applications that require a very high level of rigidity and creep strength, but still need to be biocompatible, we offer TECAPEEK MT CF30 black. Carbon fiber reinforced PEEK demonstrates very high mechanical strength and has excellent resistance to hydrolysis in boiling water and superheated steam.  

TECAPEEK MT CLASSIXTM

Ensinger TECAPEEK MT CLASSIXTM is used to address the most stringent demands imposed on medical devices with direct contact to tissue or mucous membrane, and indirect contact with blood for up to 30 days. The contact period can be extended to up to 180 days for healing caps, provisional abutments and gingival formers used during the healing phase of dental implants, permitting efficient and cost effective use of this material for dental components.

TECAPEEK MT XRO

TECAPEEK MT XRO is a medical grade PEEK with good visibility and radiography. A contrast medium added to the standard TECAPEEK MT line permits clear visibility of compo­nents under fluoroscopy and X-ray radiation. It provides the surgeon with a precise pic­ture of their instruments or of orthopaedic trial implants during image controlled procedures.