Polyurethane Medical Tubing
Polyurethane (PUR) is a common medical grade resin that is versatile enough to be used in countless medical devices and extrusions. Medical polyurethane tubing merges properties of both rubber and plastic and is known for its exceptional toughness and tensile strength. The material tends to form strong bonds with hydrophilic coating systems.
At Duke Extrusion, we provide proven expertise in the processing and manufacturing of medical grade polyurethane tubing. Our PUR extrusion engineering team provides recommendations for the optimized design of your medical tubing products where the extrusion and post extrusion processes are considered.
Medical Grade Polyurethane Tubing Advantages
Polyurethane is highly biocompatible, and softens at body temperature, ensuring optimum patient comfort when used as a catheter material. It is commonly used in the construction of epidural catheters, compliant balloon products, and similar medical devices.
PUR is strong and flexible enough to handle the bending and rubbing, but it's also soft enough to provide additional comfort to the patient. It is elastomeric and used in many sensitive applications like catheters where comfort is essential.
In addition to these benefits, polyurethane offers many more including:
- Availability of a wide range of durometers
- High tensile strength
- Good biocompatibility
- Customized chemistry for different applications
- Plasticizer-free formulations
- Resistance to degradation
Contact us today for more information regarding how our custom medical grade polyurethane catheter tubing can be designed and specified to meet your specific project needs. Or call us at 831-420-1104 to discuss your project’s polyurethane medical tubing requirements and learn why Duke Extrusion is the medical device industry’s trusted supplier of medical-grade PUR tubing!
Medical Grade Polyurethane Catheter Tubing Options
Duke Extrusion offers medical polyurethane tubing in numerous varieties to meet the unique requirements of customer applications. Our extruded polyurethane is available in durometers ranging from 62A to 75D. Typically clear, polyurethane can be colored as needed and can be compounded with radio-pacifiers and other additives to enhance its lubricity and other physical properties. PUR medical grade tubing falls into the following three category types:
Long Term Implants
- ChronoFlex® medical extrusion
- Carbothane® medical extrusion
Short Term Use
- ChronoSil®
- ChronoThane™
- Estane® medical extrusion
- HydroThane™
- Pellethane® medical extrusion
- Tecothane® medical extrusion
- Texin® medical extrusion
Elastomeric Polyurethanes
- ChronoPrene™
- PolyBlend™
- Tecoflex® tubing
Polyurethane Medical Grade Tubing Properties
Polyurethanes are segmented polymers that are made from three parts: the backbone, the diisocyanate, and the chain extender, each providing a different characteristic to the material. The backbone allows the polymer to be flexible, while the diisocyanate and the chain extender work together to form a cross-link that gives polyurethane its strength and elongation.
The diisocyanates of polyurethane come in two varieties: aromatic and aliphatic. The aromatics use benzene rings to make the resin stronger, and they tend to be less expensive. Aliphatics, however, are more resistant to chemicals and are made with hydrocarbon backbones.
Polyurethane Medical Tubing Applications
Polyurethane is highly biocompatible, and softens at body temperature, ensuring optimum patient comfort when used as a catheter material. It is commonly used in the construction of epidural catheters, compliant balloon products, and similar medical devices. Medical grade polyurethane applications include:
- Cardiovascular treatment devices
- Catheter Tubing
- Intra-aortic balloon pumps
- Surgical Drains
- Tracheotomy devices
- Urological devices
- Dialysis devices
- Feeding tubes
Contact Duke Extrusion for Medical Grade Polyurethane Tubing Today
Need your products quick? Duke Extrusion has you covered with our ultra-fast shipping times. Our stock tubing products, ship within 24 hours of purchase and braided standard tubing ships within 48 hours of order placement! At Duke Extrusion, we make purchasing medical-grade tubing easy with short lead times and quick, convenient, and hassle-free shipping. It’s not just stock products that ship with industry best lead times, custom extrusion and rapid customized catheter products are also provided with the shortest lead times available and personalized service. That’s the Duke difference!We provide stock catheter tubing, custom multi-lumen tubing, and a wide variety of other tubing types. Our fast, efficient manufacturing processes, superior quality products, and innovative designs help us consistently meet or exceed customer expectations. Need something customized to your specific needs? Visit Duke Empirical to see our in-house capabilities.
