Medical Plastics: Degradation Resistance and Failure Analysis (Plastics Design Library)

The use of plastics is widespread. Less widespread, however, is a clear understanding and examination of the many forms of degradation inherent within the very environments these materials must perform. Medical PlasticsùDegradation Resistance & Failure Analysis fills that void.

The introductory chapter gives an overview of the medical applications of plastics and the specific performance requirements they need to meet. The following chapters discuss various degrading environments and their effects including environmental stress cracking, effect of body liquids, effect of harsh environments, and various methods of sterilization. The book also discusses the failure of medical devices due to contamination, low temperature, the effects of UV light, migration of formulation components, mechanical stresses, and problems with design and fabrication. Case histories of failures of some common products used in medicine are also provided.