Greenfield, Massachusetts -- Argotec Inc. of Greenfield, Massachusetts, has introduced ArgoMedPLUS 18411, which it calls "a revolutionary new thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) film-on-paper product."
The company says the new film will allow medical adhesive coaters, converters and distributor/retailers an alternative material for frame-type wound dressings and surgical drapes.
Many wound-bandage designs available can be made from a wide variety of material, but frame dressings need a film with the correct peel release between paper and film, and surgical drapes present similar technical challenges, said Argotec.
For ten years, Argotec has supplied the medical wound-care market with ArgoMed 18411, which it says is a successful waterproof-breathable, aromatic-polyether TPU film on a polyethylene carrier for use in IV-site and other dressing/drape applications.
The challenge in controlled release was to choose the right paper and to modify the TPU extrusion-coating process to control the peel release values between paper and film.
These values need to be
• tight enough so the film and paper remain intact during coating with pressure-sensitive-adhesive and slitting;
• loose enough so the kiss-cut window can be detached from the TPU film, either by vacuum or adhesive tape removal techniques;
• tight enough so the frame remains affixed to the TPU film after the kiss-cut window is removed;
• loose enough that, when a medical practitioner applies the dressing, the frame will separate from the TPU film without pulling the adhesive away from the patient's skin.
Argotec says that after 'significant engineering" and investing in capital equipment, it has resolved the controlled-release challenge with a specially coated, 80# SCK paper, coated on one side with polykote and with silicone on the other, in combination with ArgoMed 18411 TPU film to create ArgoMedPLUS 18411.
This provides controlled release between the paper carrier (which eventually becomes the frame, see diagram) and the TPU film.
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