Additives

NuSil^® additives give manufacturers simple, precise ways to enhance silicone elastomers used in medical devices by adding color or radiopacity to the base material. Our blowing agents are designed to transform the base material into a foam. The biocompatible additives come in the form of ready-to-use concentrated masterbatches which reduce production cycle times and costly cleaning procedures.

We formulate masterbatches suitable for a variety of fabrication methods, including molding, calendaring, extrusion and injection molding. They come dispersed in a vinyl-functional silicone polymer that crosslinks into the network of platinum-catalyzed silicone systems. Available additives include:

• Color masterbatches: A simple way to add color to silicone elastomers used in medical devices, our masterbatches eliminate the need for powder pigments. They deliver superior color consistency with no bleed out in the final cured state and no impact on the base material’s physical properties. Custom color matching is available upon request.
• Radiopaque masterbatches: Our radiopaque additives provide an easy, more precise, method of adding barium sulfate to silicone elastomers that reduces production time and eliminates the need for powders that may contaminate cleanroom environments.
• Blowing agents: The ammonium bicarbonate masterbatch offers the ability to create a low density, lightweight and flexible silicone foam or sponge from the base material.