PC-Medical
PC-Medical is a polycarbonate compounded and certified for biocompatibility, with conditions covering gamma and EtO sterilization resistance, high flow, lipid resistance, UL 94 V-0 flame retardance, ESD and 10–30 % glass fill; F2839 provides the medical device plastics guidance framework.
Reference datasheet — PC-Medical is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
PC-Medical grades and fills
PC-Medical is supplied in 9 conditions, soft to hard.
Compare all 9 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Impact-modified / low-temperature-toughened medical PC | Choose for drop-critical housings and cold-chain devices needing ductile failure below 0 °C (usually translucent/opaque). | 55 | 60 | 130 | 79 Shore D |
Radiation (gamma/E-beam) stabilized medical PC | Pick when parts are sterilized by 25–50 kGy gamma or E-beam and colour shift/embrittlement must be minimized. | 60 | 66 | 110 | 82 Shore D |
High-flow medical grade for thin-wall / multi-cavity molding | Use for thin-wall disposables, long flow paths and high-cavitation tools where fill pressure limits the part. | 60 | 64 | 100 | 81 Shore D |
Lipid- and disinfectant-resistant medical PC | Select where parts see lipid emulsions, IPA/quaternary disinfectants or oncology drugs under stress and ESC is the failure mode. | 60 | 65 | 110 | 82 Shore D |
Static-dissipative medical PC | Use for diagnostic cartridges, sensor housings and electronics-adjacent parts requiring controlled surface resistivity. | 60 | 62 | 15 | 83 Shore D |
Flame-retardant (UL 94 V-0) medical PC | Use for powered diagnostic/imaging enclosures that must meet IEC 60601 fire enclosure and UL 94 V-0 at low wall thickness. | 61 | 65 | 100 | 82 Shore D |
10% glass-fiber reinforced medical PC | Modest stiffness and dimensional-stability boost with retained toughness for instrument frames and handles. | 85 | 6 | ||
20% glass-fiber reinforced medical PC | Balanced stiffness/creep resistance for load-bearing device structures and reusable instrument bodies. | 105 | 4 | ||
30% glass-fiber reinforced medical PC | Maximum stiffness/dimensional stability variant for metal-replacement brackets and autoclave-cycled structural parts. | 125 | 3 |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways PC-Medical is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
NATDefault | Unfilled clear medical grade | Standard supply |
What is PC-Medical?
PC-Medical is a polycarbonate compounded and certified for biocompatibility, with conditions covering gamma and EtO sterilization resistance, high flow, lipid resistance, UL 94 V-0 flame retardance, ESD and 10–30 % glass fill; F2839 provides the medical device plastics guidance framework. Engineers choose it for optical clarity combined with toughness — 68 MPa tensile strength and 115 % elongation in the natural grade — in molded connectors and housings and in machined sheet, rod and plate. Gamma dose yellows unstabilized resin, and PC is susceptible to environmental stress cracking from lipids, alkaline cleaners and some disinfectants, so a lipid-resistant or blended grade is the usual answer. PC-Medical has a density of 1.2 g/cm³ (0.0434 lb/in³), heavier than 57% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 147°C (297 °F). PC-Medical has a yield strength of 62 MPa (8.99 ksi) and a tensile strength of 68 MPa (9.86 ksi) — stronger than 72% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 115% and the elastic modulus is 2.4 GPa (0.341 Msi).
What is PC-Medical used for?
- IV connectors
- surgical instrument housings
- diagnostic device enclosures
- drug delivery components
Advantages
- Polishes to a fine finish — 90/100, better than 96% of polymer grades
- Readily welded — 75/100, better than 82% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Needs corrosion protection — 70/100, worse than 78% of polymer grades
PC-Medical properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical6
PC-Medical has a density of 1.2 g/cm³ (0.0434 lb/in³), heavier than 57% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is 147°C (297 °F).
Mechanical17
PC-Medical has a yield strength of 62 MPa (8.99 ksi) and a tensile strength of 68 MPa (9.86 ksi) — stronger than 72% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 115% and the elastic modulus is 2.4 GPa (0.341 Msi).
Thermal11
PC-Medical is rated for continuous service to 115°C (239 °F). It conducts heat at 0.2 W/m·K (0.116 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 56% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 68 µm/m·K (37.8 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
PC-Medical is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 25 kV/mm (635 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹⁴ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is very good (70/100), worse than 78% of polymer grades. UV resistance is poor.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of PC-Medical takes about 105 MJ of energy and emits 6 kg of CO₂ — more than 54% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 0%.
Manufacturability8
PC-Medical's machinability is good (60/100, better than 51% of polymer grades); weldability very good (75/100); formability very good (70/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the polymer family
Yield strength against density for every polymer grade FabDigit runs. PC-Medical is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with PC-Medical
Is PC-Medical easy to machine?
Machines cleanly with sharp, high-rake carbide tools, high speed and low feed with air or water-mist cooling; anneal at 120–125 °C before and after machining to avoid stress crazing, and never use petroleum-based cutting oils.
Can PC-Medical be welded?
Joins well by ultrasonic, laser transmission, hot-plate, spin and RF-free solvent bonding (methylene-chloride-free medical adhesives or UV-cure acrylics preferred for biocompatible assemblies).
Can PC-Medical be formed, bent or molded?
Dry 4 h at 120 °C to <0.02 % moisture, mold at 280–320 °C melt / 80–120 °C tool with generous gates; sheet thermoforms at 175–195 °C — over-drying-free processing prevents hydrolytic molecular-weight loss and splay.
PC-Medical chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| mold release / processing aidtypically pentaerythritol tetrastearate, food/medical compliant | 0.1 – 0.5 | 0.3 |
| thermal & hydrolytic stabilizerphosphite/hindered phenol | 0.05 – 0.3 | 0.1 |
| radiation stabilizer / colour correctoronly in gamma-stabilized variants | 0 – 1 | 0 |
| glass fiberGF variants only | 0 – 30 | 0 |
| bisphenol A polycarbonatelinear BPA-PC homopolymer, medical lot-traceable resin | ≥ 98 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on PC-Medical?
Excellent polishability and clarity; use hard-coat (siloxane) for scratch and chemical/disinfectant resistance, avoid alkaline cleaners and solvent-based paints, and vapor-polish only with validated non-toxic media for medical parts.
How much does PC-Medical cost?
PC-Medical is a premium-cost polymer ($$$), cheaper than about 51% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
PC-Medical — frequently asked
What is PC-Medical used for?
PC-Medical is typically used for IV connectors, surgical instrument housings, diagnostic device enclosures and drug delivery components. In short: sterilization-ready clear PC; certified biocompatible grades; tough transparent housing resin.
What is the yield strength of PC-Medical?
PC-Medical has a typical yield strength of 62 MPa (8.99 ksi) and a tensile strength of 68 MPa (9.86 ksi) — stronger than 72% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 9 listed tempers.
Is PC-Medical easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated good (60/100, better than 51% of polymer grades). Machines cleanly with sharp, high-rake carbide tools, high speed and low feed with air or water-mist cooling; anneal at 120–125 °C before and after machining to avoid stress crazing, and never use petroleum-based cutting oils.
Can PC-Medical be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated very good (75/100). Joins well by ultrasonic, laser transmission, hot-plate, spin and RF-free solvent bonding (methylene-chloride-free medical adhesives or UV-cure acrylics preferred for biocompatible assemblies).
What surface finishes work on PC-Medical?
Excellent polishability and clarity; use hard-coat (siloxane) for scratch and chemical/disinfectant resistance, avoid alkaline cleaners and solvent-based paints, and vapor-polish only with validated non-toxic media for medical parts.
Can PC-Medical be formed, bent or molded?
Dry 4 h at 120 °C to <0.02 % moisture, mold at 280–320 °C melt / 80–120 °C tool with generous gates; sheet thermoforms at 175–195 °C — over-drying-free processing prevents hydrolytic molecular-weight loss and splay.
What is the maximum service temperature of PC-Medical?
PC-Medical is rated for continuous use to about 115°C (239 °F), and briefly to 145°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does PC-Medical cost?
PC-Medical is a premium-cost polymer ($$$), cheaper than about 51% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- Makrolon Rx medical-grade polycarbonate datasheets — Covestro (2023)
- LEXAN HP / HPX healthcare resin product data — SABIC (2023)
- CAMPUS plastics database — PC (ISO 10350 datasets) — CAMPUS / CWFG (2024)
- ASTM F2839 Standard Practice for Assessing Biocompatibility of Materials Used in Medical Devices — ASTM (2021)
- ISO 10993-1 Biological evaluation of medical devices — ISO (2018)
- Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 2: Engineering Plastics — ASM International (1988)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.