Appendix

Table A.1 Polymer Acronyms Table A.1 (Continued)

Acronym Polymer Name Acronym Polymer Name

ABS Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene LLDPE Linear low density polyethylene
ASA Acrylate styrene acrylonitrile MDPE Medium density polyethyelne
BMC Bulk molding compound MF Melamine formaldehyde
BOPP Biaxially oriented Polypropylene OPP Oriented polypropylene (film)
(film) OPS Oriented polystyrene (film)
BOPS Biaxially oriented Polystyrene PA Polyamide
(film)
PAI Polyamide-imide
COC Cyclo olefin copolymer
PAN Polyacrylonitrile
COPE Copolyester ether
PAS Polyaryl sulfone
CPE Chlorinated Polyethylene
PBI Polybenzimidazole
CTFE Chloro trifluoroethylene
PBMA Polybutyl methacrylate
EAA Ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer
PBT Polybutylene terephthalate
ECTFE Ethylene chlorotrifluroethylene
PC Polycarbonate
EPDM Ethylene propylene diene
monomer PCL Polycaprolactone
EPS Expanded Polystyrene PCT Polycyclohexylene terephthalate
ETFE Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene PCTA Polycyclohexylene dimethylene
terephthalate acid
ETP Engineering thermoplastics
PCTFE Polychlorotrifluoro ethylene
EVA Ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer
PCTG Polycyclohexylene dimethylene
EVA-CO Poly(ethylene-vinylacetate- terephthalate glycol
carbon monoxide) terpolymer
PDMS Polydimethyl siloxane
FEP Fluorinated ethylene-propylene
PE Polyethylene
FRP Fibre reinforced plastics
PEEK Polyether ether ketone
GRP Glass fibre reinforced polyester
PEI Poly etherimide
HDPE High density polyethylene
PEKEKK Polyether ketone ether ketone
HHPC High heat polycarbonate ketone
HIPS High impact polystyrene PEKK Polyether ketone ketone
HMWPE High molecular weight PES Polyethersulfone
polyethylene
PET Polyethylene terephthalate
LCP Liquid crystal polymer
PETG Polyethylene terephthalate
LDPE Low density polyethylene glycol
(Continued ) (Continued)

263
264 A PPENDIX

Table A.1 (Continued) Table A.1 (Continued)

Acronym Polymer Name Acronym Polymer Name

PF Phenol formaldehyde PVC Polyvinyl chloride
PGA Polyglycolic acid PVC- U Polyvinychloride-Unplasticized
PHB Polyhydroxybutyrate PVCA Polyvinyl chloride-acetate
PHB-co-HV Polyhydroxybutyrate-co- copolymer
hydroxyvalerate’ PVC-P Polyvinychloride-Plasticized
PHV Polyhydroxyvalerate PVDC Polyvinylidene dichloride
PI Polyimide PVDF Polyvinylidene difluoride
PLA Poly lactic Acid PVF Polyvinyl fluoride
PLGA Poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid; PVOH Polyvinyl alcohol
polylactide-co-glycolide SAN Styrene acrylonitrile
PLLA Poly L-Lactide SBC Styrene butadiene copolymer
PMMA Polymethylmethacrylate SBS Styrene butadiene styrene
PMP Poly-4-methyl-1-pentene SEBS styrene-(ethylene-butylene)-
POM Polyoxymethylene styrene
PP Polypropylene SHIPS Super high impact polystyrene
PPE Polyphenylene ether SMC Sheet molding compound
PPO Polyphenylene oxide TPA Thermoplastic polyamide
PPS Polyphenylene sulphide elastomer

PPSU Polyphenylene sulfone TPC Thermoplastic copolyester

elastomer
PPT Polypropylene terephthalate
TPO Thermoplastic polyolefin
PS Polystyrene elastomer
PSO Polusulfone TPS Thermoplastic styrenic
PSU Polysulfone elastomer
PTFE Polytetrafluoroethylene TPU Thermoplastic polyurethane
elastomer
PTMT Polytetramethylene
terephthalate (same as PBT) UF Urea formaldehyde
PU Polyurethane UHMWPE Ultra high molecular weight
polyethylene
PVA Polyvinyl alcohol
PVAc Polyvinyl acetate XLPE Crosslinked Polyethylene
PVB Polyvinyl butyral
(Continued )
A PPENDIX 265

Table A.2 Polymer Chemical Resistance Table

Disinfectants
Dilute Bases

Oils/greases

Saline water
Dilute Acids

Detergents
Hydrogen
Silicones

Bleaches

Peroxide

Betadine
Ethylene
Acetone

Soaps /
MeCL2

Lipids
oxide
MEK
THF

IPA
Polymer
Polyolefins
HDPE Good Good Poor Good Poor Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good
LDPE Good Good Poor Fair Poor Good Good Fair Fair Good Good Good Good Good Good Fair Good
UHMWPE Good Good Fair Good Fair Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good
PP Good Good Fair Good Fair Good Good Fair Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good
PP copolymers Good Good Poor Fair Fair Good Good Fair Fair Good Good Good Good Good Good Fair Good
COC Good Good Poor Good Poor Good Good Good Poor Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good
PVC
PVC plasticized Good Good Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Fair Good Good Good Good Good Good Fair Poor
PVC unplasticized Fair Good Poor Poor Poor Poor Good Fair Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Poor
Polystyrene/Styrenics

Polystyrene Fair Fair Poor Poor Poor Poor Good Good Fair Fair Good Good Good Good Good Good Fair
ABS Good Good Poor Poor Poor Poor Fair Good Good Good Good Fair Fair Good Good Fair Fair
SAN Good Good Poor Poor Poor Poor Fair Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Fair Good Fair
ASA Good Good Poor Poor Poor Poor Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Fair
MABS Good Good Poor Poor Poor Poor Good Good Good Good Good Good Fair Good Good Good Fair
SBC Good Good Poor Poor Poor Poor Fair Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Fair
Acrylics Fair Fair Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Good Poor Good Fair Good Good Good Fair Good Fair
Polycarbonates Good Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Good Good Fair Good Good Fair Good Good Fair Good Fair
Polyurethanes Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Fair Good Fair Good Fair Poor Fair Fair Fair Fair Fair
Acetals Poor Fair Good Good Fair Good Good Good Good Good Good Poor Fair Fair Good Fair Good
Polyamides
Nylon 6, Nylon 66 Poor Poor Good Good Poor Good Good Good Good Good Good Poor Poor Poor Fair Fair Poor
Aromatic Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good
Nylon 12, 10, 6/12 Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Good Good Good Good Good Poor Poor Poor Fair Fair Poor
Polyesters
PBT Good Good Good Good Poor Fair Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good
PET Fair Fair Fair Fair Poor Good Fair Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Fair Good Good
Copolyesters Poor Poor Fair Poor Poor Poor Good Good Good Good Good Fair Good Good Fair Good Fair
High temperature
thermoplastics
Polysulfones Good Good Fair Poor Poor Poor Fair Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good
PPS Fair Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Fair Good Good Good Good Good
LCP Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Fair Good Good Good Good
PEI Fair Poor Good Poor Poor Poor Good Good Good Good Good Fair Fair Fair Fair Good Fair
PAI Good Fair Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good
PEEK Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good
Fluoropolymers
PTFE* Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good
FEP Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good
PFA Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good
ECTFE/ETFE Good Good Fair Fair Fair Fair Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good
PVF/PVDF Good Good Good Fair Good Fair Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good
Elastomers
Silicones Good Fair Fair Fair Poor Good Fair Good Good Good Good Fair Fair Good Good Good Good
TPU Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Fair Good Fair Good Fair Poor Fair Fair Fair Fair Fair
TPC Poor Fair Poor Good Fair Good Good Good Fair Good Good Poor Poor Good Fair Fair Fair
TPA Good Good Fair Fair Poor Good Good Good Fair Good Good Good Good Good Good Fair Good
TPS Good Good Poor Poor Poor Poor Fair Good Poor Good Good Good Good Fair Fair Fair Fair
TPO Good Good Poor Poor Poor Poor Fair Good Poor Good Good Fair Fair Fair Good Fair Good
Biopolymers
PLLA Good Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Good Good Good Good Good Fair Fair Good Poor Good Poor
PLA Good Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Fair Good Good Good Good Fair Fair Good Poor Good Poor
PHB Good Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Fair Good Good Good Good Fair Poor Good Poor Good Poor
PGA Good Poor Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Fair Fair Good Poor Good Good
PLGA Good Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Fair Good Good Good Good Fair Poor Good Fair Good Poor
PCL Good Poor Poor Poor Poor Poor Good Good Good Good Good Fair Poor Good Poor Good Poor
Thermosets Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good Good
All ratings at room temperature
266 A PPENDIX

Table A.3 Sterilization of Polymers

Ethylene Gamma
Polymer Steam Dry Heat Oxide Radiation E-Beam
Polyolefins
HDPE Poor Poor Good Good Good
LDPE Poor Poor Good Good Good
UHMWPE Poor Poor Good Good Good
PPa Good Fair Good Fair Fair
PP copolymers Good Fair Good Fair Fair
COC Fair Fair Good Good Good
PVC
PVC plasticizeda,b Fair Fair Good Good Good
PVC unplasticizeda,b Poor Poor Good Fair Fair
Polystyrene/Styrenics
Polystyrene Poor Poor Good Good Good
ABS Poor Poor Good Good Good
SAN Poor Poor Good Good Good
ASA Poor Poor Good Good Good
MABS Poor Poor Good Good Good
SBC Poor Poor Good Good Good
Acrylicsa,b Poor Poor Good Good Good
Polycarbonatesa,b Fair Fair Good Good Good
High heat
polycarbonates Good Good Good Good Good
Polyurethanes Poor Poor Good Good Good
Acetals Good Good Good Poor Poor
Polyamides
Nylon 6, Nylon 66 Fair Fair Good Fair Fair
Aromatic Good Good Good Good Good
Nylon 12, 10, 6/12 Poor Poor Good Fair Fair
Polyesters
PBT Fair Fair Good Good Good
PET Poor Poor Good Good Good
Copolyesters Poor Poor Good Good Good
High temperature
thermoplastics
Polysulfones Good Good Good Good Good
PPS Good Good Good Good Good
LCP Good Good Good Good Good
PEI Fair Fair Good Good Good
PAI Fair Fair Good Good Good
PEEK Good Good Good Good Good
Fluoropolymers
PTFEa Fair Fair Good Poor Poor
FEP Good Good Good Fair Fair
PFA Good Good Good Good Good
ECTFE/ETFE Good Good Good Good Good
PVF/PVDF Good Good Good Good Good
Elastomers
Silicones Good Good Good Good Good
TPU Poor Fair Good Good Good
TPC Poor Good Good Good Good
TPA Poor Poor Good Good Good
TPS Poor Poor Good Good Good
TPO Poor Fair Good Good Good
Biopolymers
PLLA Fair Good Good Good Good
PLA Poor Fair Good Good Good
PHB Poor Poor Good Fair Fair
PGA Good Good Good Good Good
PLGA Poor Poor Good Fair Fair
PCL Fair Good Good Good Good
Thermosets Good Good Good Good Good
aRadiation stable grades should be considered for gamma and e-beam radiation sterilization
bPVC, Acrylics, PC - require corrective tint to compensate for discoloration