Some of the desirable properties a medical adhesive offers include, but are not limited to, biocompatibility, non-cytotoxicity, temperature and chemical resistance, thermal and/or electrical conductivity and optical clarity. However, the combination of properties required from medical grade adhesives ultimately depends upon the specifics of the application and the kind of sterilization process that will be used. Surgical instruments, implantable sensors, molecular diagnostic instruments, respiratory devices and ultrasound probes are just a few of the many medical products assembled with adhesives, and the conditions that these adhesives might be subjected to vary case by case.

Autoclaving is the primary sterilization method for critical and semi-critical medical instruments that can withstand high heat and moisture. Although autoclaving cannot be used for heat sensitive objects, it is still widely used in many medical product sterilizations. Some studies claim that up to 80% of medical devices use this as a sterilization method. Some of the other methods range from gamma to e-beam radiation, to chemical sterilants such as hydrogen peroxide, peracetic acid or ethylene oxide. EtO is also widely used for sterilization, primarily in disposable medical devices, for its ability to disrupt the DNA in microbes.

Medical grade adhesives, sealants, coatings and potting/encapsulation compounds need to be non-toxic and show compatibility with blood and body fluids. Additionally, they must be biologically inert. There are two standard tests used to determine their suitability: U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) Class VI and/or ISO 10993. For over 40 years, Master Bond’s biocompatible compounds, which meet one or both specifications, have been used commercially, for research, and in patents. We cite a few of these published cases where bonding, sealing, coating and encapsulating compounds have been successfully utilized in various medical device applications in this webinar.

Today, there is an unprecedented demand for medical devices manufacturers and medical testing to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Learn more about how our medical compounds have been validated in similar applications.