Adhesives for Medical Wearables

Medical wearables and mini diagnostic devices, such as diabetes sensors for monitoring blood glucose levels, are becoming increasingly popular. Of course, it must be ensured that the devices are reliable at all times, while at the same time being safe for close use on the body. Panacol has developed a broad portfolio of special adhesives that meet the high requirements and demands of manufacturers and users. 

The quality of medical wearables starts with production. Medical adhesives from Panacol have very good adhesion to the most commonly used materials, usually plastics, stainless steel, glass or ceramics. They are also biocompatible and have already been tested according to ISO 10993-4/-5/-10/-23 and/or USP Class VI. 

Every manufacturing process requires specially developed adhesives: from UV acrylates and UV epoxies to electrically conductive products and conventional heat-curing epoxies, Panacol offers suitable adhesives for all applications. UV adhesives are ideal for bonding needles or housings for wearables, as they cure very quickly under UV radiation and are therefore ideal for fast cycle times and large-volume production. Fluorescing versions are available to enhance quality control relying on in-line vision systems.  

In addition to UV adhesives, thermally curing epoxy resin adhesives are also used for bonding printed circuit boards. Depending on the application, it is important to ensure that the adhesive has a high ionic purity in order to avoid corrosion. Electrically conductive adhesives, on the other hand, are usually silver-filled and can therefore replace solder joints or even be applied to flexible wearables as flexible conductive tracks.

Adhesives for manufacturing of wearables

Panacol adhesives are suitable for bonding to printed circuit boards as well as for bonding housings or gluing in syringe needles.
 

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The table below provides an overview of medical grade adhesives that are certified to ISO 10993 and/or USP Class VI and therefore suitable for medical applications:

Medical grade adhesive Application for medical grade adhesives Viscosity [mPas] Base Curing* Properties/ Certification
Structalit® 701 bonding surgical instruments
endoscopes
light guides
3,000-5,000 2-part epoxy thermal Transparent in thin layers
long potlife
fast curing
certified to USP Class VI and ISO 10993-5 standards
Structalit® 5893 needle bonding
plastic bonding
6,000-10,000 (Rheometer, 25°C, 10s^-1) epoxy thermal Black color
excellent flow properties
filling material for frame&fill applications
high resistance to heat and chemicals
certified to ISO 10993-5 standards
Vitralit® 1655 Medical devices bonding
Flexible potting
Optics
150-300 (Brookfield LVT, 25 °C, Sp. 2/30 rpm) epoxy UV
secondary heat cure
flexible
certified to USP Class VI and ISO 10993-5 standards
resistant to all common sterilization methods
Vitralit® 1702 Hose connections,
blood filters
10-100 acrylate UV Transparent
capillary flow
biocompatible: certified to USP Class VI standards
Vitralit® 1703 Hose connections,
blood filters
85,000-130,000 (LVT, 25 °C, Sp. 4/3 rpm) acrylate UV Shear thinning
Shape retaining
Certified according to USP Class VI
Resistant to sterilization
Vitralit® 4731 Bonding hose fittings,
bonding housings
900-1,500 (LVT, 25°C, Sp. 3/30 rpm) acrylate UV
VIS
Dry surface after curing,
biocompatible: certified to USP Class VI and ISO 10993-5 standards
Vitralit® 5140 Sealing electrical assemblies,
breathing masks
250-500 acrylate UV
VIS
Flexible,
well suited for bonding plastics with low UV translucence and permeable to visible light,
biocompatible: certified to USP Class VI standards
Vitralit® 6108 needle bonding
bonding glass apparatus
600-900 acrylate UV
VIS
secondary heat cure
non-yellowing
excellent flow properties
certified to USP Class VI and ISO 10933-5 standards
Vitralit® 6108 T needle bonding
bonding glass apparatus
3,000-6,000 acrylate UV
VIS
secondary heat cure
non-yellowing
excellent gap-filling
certified to USP Class VI standards
shear thinning
Vitralit® 7041 Needle bonding,
bonding enclosures
50-90 (LVT 25°C, Sp. 2/60 rpm) acrylate UV
VIS
Excellent adhesion to glass, plastics and metals;
biocompatible: certified to USP Class VI standards
Vitralit® 7041 F Needle bonding,
bonding enclosures
50-90 acrylate UV
VIS
Fluorescing,
excellent adhesion to glass, plastics and metals;
biocompatible: certified to USP Class VI and ISO 10993/-4/-5 standards
Vitralit® 7041 T Needle bonding,
bonding dialysis filters
1,500-2,300 acrylate UV
VIS
High viscosity/stable,
excellent adhesion to glass, plastics and metals;
biocompatible: certified to USP Class VI and ISO 10993/-4/-5 standards
Vitralit® 7090 VHS Bonding catheters,
needle bonding
40-100 acrylate UV
VIS
Dry surface,
very high adhesion to plastics,
biocompatible: certified to USP Class VI standards
Vitralit® 7311 FO Plastic bonding, glass bonding
Suitable for large area bonding
Suitable for applications with small gaps
40-70 (Newtonian liquid, Rheometer, 25 °C) acrylate UV
VIS
Fluorescing orange
Capillary flowing
Resistant to moisture and alcohol
Biocompatible, certified according to USP Class VI and ISO 10993-5/10
Resistant to sterilization
Vitralit® 7311 FO T bonding plastics/glass bonding
suitable for elastic bonding of large surfaces
1,000-3,000 (Rheometer, 25 °C, 10s­^-1) acrylate UV
VIS
Fluorescing orange
High resistance to alcohols and moisture
non-yellowing
very high adhesion to plastics, glass and metals
suitable for bonding large areas
certified according to USP Class VI
Vitralit® 7311 FO Gel plastics /glass bonding
suitable for elastic bonding of large surfaces
bonding of medical disposables
18,000-35,000 (Rheometer, 25 °C, 10s^-­1) acrylate UV
VIS
Fluorescing orange, shape retaining
Resistant to humidity and alcohol
Certified according to USP Class VI
Resistant to sterilization
Vitralit® 7562 bonding glass apparatus 500-900 acrylate UV
VIS
Optically clear
flexible
elastic
high resistance to moisture
Vitralit® 7989 Plastic bonding,
bonding containers
3,000-5,000 acrylate UV Excellent adhesion to plastics, especially to PC and PMMA;
biocompatible: certified to USP Class VI standards
Vitralit® UV 4050 needle bonding
plastic bonding
140-500 (LVT, 25°C, Sp. 2/30 rpm) acrylate UV
VIS
Certified to ISO 10993-5 and USP Class VI standards
modified acrylate
impact resistant
very fast curing
very high adhesion to plastics
Vitralit® UV 7030 15,000-25,000 (Rheometer, 25 °C, 10s^-1) acrylate UV
VIS
Flexible, high elongation at break,
very high shear strength,
certified according to USP Class VI
Cyanolit® 203 TX Bonding hose unions,
bridging large gaps,
suitable for porous materials
shear thinning cyanoacrylate moisture,
room temperature
Biocompatible: certified to USP Class VI standards
Cyanolit® 241 F Plastic bonding,
metal bonding
30-50 cyanoacrylate moisture,
room temperature
Capillary flow,
biocompatible: certified to USP Class VI standards
Cyanolit® 732 F Bonding coloured plastics,
delicate bonds
230-350 (LVT, 25 °C, Sp. 2/60 rpm) cyanoacrylate moisture,
room temperature
Film forming,
suitable for bonding porous materials,
biocompatible: certified to USP Class VI standards
Elecolit® 323 Bonding of EP catheters paste-like 2 component epoxy thermal electrically conductive (ICA)
thermally conductive
ISO 10993-5/-12 certified

*UV = 320 - 390 nm          VIS = 405 nm