Biotech Plastics

 

Bioplastics are a form of plastics derived from renewable biomass sources, such as vegetable oil, corn starch, pea starch or microbiota[citation needed], rather than traditional plastics which are derived from petroleum.

Bioplastics are mainly composed by a matrix (resin) and a reinforcement of natural fibers usually derived from plants or cellulose. With wide-ranging uses from environment-friendly biodegradable composites to biomedical composites for drug/gene delivery, tissue engineering applications and cosmetic orthodontics. They often mimic the structures of the living materials involved in the process in addition to the strengthening properties of the matrix that was used but still providing biocompatibility, e.g in creating scaffolds in bone tissue engineering.

Bioplastics are characterised by replacing the petrochemical resin with a vegetable or animal resin, and/or the bolsters (glass or carbon fibre or talc) by natural fibre (e.g. wood fibres, hemp, flax, sisal, jute).

 

Material Solutions for Biotechnology / Laboratory Applications

Benefits - the Market relies on
Whether you are building the latest bio reactor with human cell cultures, a DNA probe analyzer, a device for polymerase chain reactions or a mass spectrometer, we provide the material solution to fit the constraints of your application. Quadrant's plastics are a cost-effective way to replace stainless steel, exhibiting less corrosion, easier machining and cleaning. A short assembly time, less weight and versatile properties add material advantages. Full traceability, consistent quality and technical support form a natural part of our service package.


TRENDS
In today's demanding life sciences market, manufacturers need to stay ahead of therapid advances being made in the biotechnology arena. Parts need to withstand a wide temperature range, tenside cleaning agents, acids and rigorous sterilization procedures. Dimensional stability is required.

Get the right material for the job:


PEEK Parts for Bioreactors

Challenge: Bioreactors degrade contaminants in water with microorganisms through attached or supended biological systems. Possible leaching of substances from the plastic parts used in the bioreactors would impair the results and efficiency of such systems. Cleaning cycles use strong chemicals as well as several sterilization techniques such as autoclaving or dry heat at 170-180°C.
Solution:PEEK has the required mechanical, thermal and chemical properties to perform well in this environment.
Benefits: High and reliable output.


POM for Temperature Controlled Shaker

Challenge: Flatness and good dimensional stability are required in this application where the shaker is handling the probes for laboratory systems. The basic concept allows heating and cooling to certain temperatures.
Solution: POM offers the dimensional stability required as well as excellent machinability.
Benefits: Low weight, low cost and long lifetime.