Materials

A significant volume of data exists concerning the effect of ionizing radiation on medical device grade plastics. Electron beam's impact on materials is similar to gamma radiation with one significant difference. Gamma processing normally exposes the product to the radiation source for a time period ranging from 4 to 10 hours while electron beam processing time is less than one minute. It is this time difference that provides for less oxidative effects on products. This is due to the shorter time frame in which free radicals interact with oxygen molecules in and around the product, which causes oxidative damage.

Generally speaking, plastics have less color change and embrittlement with electron beam than gamma due to shorter radiation exposure time. This factor can lead to substantial improvements in product shelf life and appearance.

In-house sterilization and testing capability can also be a valuable tool in product development, as materials can be tested quickly and often to determine optimal material specifications and compounding. This speeds the overall development process. For high value, short-lived products this capability can be invaluable in getting new products to market quickly.