UHMWPE Products with Vitamin E
Recent developments at Orthoplastics have allowed for the addition of Vitamin-E into UHMWPE plastics.
The benefit of adding Vitamin-E to UHMWPE is the increase in lifespan of the medical implant, providing an obvious long term benefit to the patient.
It has been scientifically proven that Vitamin E is an effective oxygen scavenger, and as a result of this, it leads to a reduction in oxidation after irradiation has taken place.
Exploring the benefits of Vitamin E
Vitamin E is the collective term which is given to the group of tocopherols. From within this group, alphatocopherol within Vitamin E acts as a free radical scavenger, which reduces long term in-vivo oxidation.
Simply put, alphatocopherol shows the best properties as an antioxidant and therefore, provides additional benefits to the implantable device.
When adding Vitamin E to the UHMWPE,Orthoplastics have identified that it is absolutely vital to ensure that the Vitamin E is distributed evenly, to guarantee part-to-part product consistency.
Quality measures applied to produce premium Vitamin-E UHMWPE products
Orthoplastics’ Vitamin E material is produced in accordance with ASTM F2965, a quality control guideline which has been adopted to consistently guarantee quality levels within every manufactured product. All mechanical properties remain unchanged throughout the process of adding Vitamin E to the implant and the exceptional GUR UHMWPE premium grade standards are still achieved.
A very uniform Vitamin E distribution is achieved within all of the UHMWPE plastics which are manufactured at Orthoplastics, and the typically high standards of product cleanliness and appearance are maintained.
Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve answered some of the most common queries about our materials including performance, processing, applications and more.
Why is vitamin E added to UHMWPE?
Vitamin E is incorporated into UHMWPE to improve material stability over time. It helps protect the polymer from oxidative degradation, which can occur during processing, sterilisation or long-term use.
How does vitamin E improve long term material performance?
By reducing oxidation, vitamin E helps maintain the mechanical properties of UHMWPE. This supports consistent performance and durability in applications where long-term material stability is important.
What is the difference between vitamin E stabilised and standard UHMWPE?
Vitamin E stabilised UHMWPE includes an antioxidant within the material structure, whereas standard UHMWPE does not. This added stability helps reduce the risk of material degradation over time.
When should vitamin E stabilised UHMWPE be used?
Vitamin E stabilised UHMWPE is typically selected for applications where maintaining material performance over an extended period is critical, particularly in demanding or long-life environments.
How does vitamin E support manufacturing and processing?
Vitamin E can help protect UHMWPE during processing and sterilisation by reducing oxidative effects. This contributes to maintaining material quality from production through to final application.
