Autoclavable Thermoplastic Material.

Stainless steel surgical instruments, are high in cost. Furthermore the military are faced with stockpiling many thousands of expensive instruments in peacetime or accepting extended delivery in time of military emergency. The report presents research on the search for a plastic which has the necessary physical properties after repeated autoclave cycles steam sterilization so that these instruments could be mass produced. A material base was selected from a range of General Electric proprietary polymers alkyl substituted polyphenylene oxide based on the desired physical and mechanical properties. The material selected permits test parts to be molded which resist the degrading action of steam autoclaving at temperatures of 275F 25 psi steam. Flexural and impact properties are discussed. Another formulation of the base material was selected and molded successfully demonstrating the fabrication possibilities.