Momentive Introduces Silver-Based Antimicrobial Elastomer for Healthcare Applications

Momentive Performance Materials Inc., one of the leading global providers of silicones and advanced materials, has announced that its StatSil* antimicrobial elastomer platform technology is being customized for a growing number of applications in the healthcare industry, as customers seek built-in antimicrobial protection for various products.

The innovative portfolio of addition curable, high consistency rubber (HCR) and liquid silicone rubber (LSR) custom compounds is based on direct incorporation of a silver-based antimicrobial additive into the base silicone elastomer. Silver's effectiveness against a variety of microorganisms, including bacteria and mold, has been demonstrated in several published studies.

"StatSil technology is an excellent candidate for manufacturers to consider for greater design flexibility and performance in applications where controlling the growth of microbes in or on the body is of concern," said Dr. Burkhard Ledig, Marketing Manager for Consumer Goods and Healthcare in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India at Momentive Performance Materials. "Customers are impressed with the antimicrobial aspects of our StatSil materials, as well as their inherent processability."

Typically, StatSil silver-based technology does not influence processability, and the elastomers have been custom formulated to meet specific performance and processing requirements of various devices and components. Manufacture of silicone applications based on StatSil technology is possible in a hardness range between 20 and 80 Shore A.

"These new products are part of our continuing effort to support the growing global demand in healthcare applications based on silicone elastomers, room temperature vulcanizates and gels," Dr. Ledig added. In addition to proven antimicrobial efficacy, StatStil products have been shown to provide excellent resistance to a wide range of temperatures and chemicals.