PSU vs PPSU vs PC for Reusable Medical Devices and Food-Contact Parts: A Sterilization Specification Guide

Time of issue:2026-09-21 09:00

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Match the polymer to the sterilisation cycle - then to the budget

For reusable medical and food-contact parts, the first specification question is not stiffness or clarity but how many sterilisation cycles the part must survive. We manufacture PSU and PPSU in transparent natural, glass-fibre, mineral, flame-retardant and UV grades, and the cycle count decides which family a buyer should be quoting at all.

Steam autoclave duty: PPSU leads

At 134 °C steam cycles PPSU is the benchmark: it retains transparency and impact strength beyond a thousand autoclave cycles, resists hydrolysis and shrugs off the lipids and disinfectants used in hospitals. Polycarbonate yellows, embrittles and stress-cracks under repeated steam, so its role shrinks to lightly sterilised or dry-heat parts.

PSU: the balanced middle

PSU carries several hundred steam cycles with stable clarity, offers higher rigidity than PPSU and sits meaningfully below it in cost. It is the workhorse for instrument trays, dental components and food-service sight glasses where cycle counts are moderate and budget discipline matters.

Figure 1. PSU and PPSU device components loaded for a 134 °C steam sterilisation cycle.

Food contact and documentation

For direct food contact and baby-care, PPSU is our default recommendation: a BPA-free monomer system with FDA and LFGB documentation. PSU serves indirect contact and equipment parts with matching declarations, and both families ship with ISO 10993 support data for medical validation teams.

Table 1. Sterilisation-driven selection

Property	PPSU	PSU	PC
134 °C steam cycles	1000+	200-500	Limited, yellowing
Notched impact	Excellent	High	Moderate
Hydrolysis resistance	Excellent	Very good	Weak
Relative cost	Highest	Medium	Lowest

Work with the manufacturer

DOWREN manufactures and exports TPV, TPE, TPU and TPEE plus engineering plastics including PEEK, PSU/PPSU, PPS, LCP, PPA and PMMA to customers in over 40 countries. Share your application and target specification: we will recommend a grade, provide datasheet, COA and compliance documents, and arrange samples for moulding or extrusion trials. Reach us at www.dowren.com.

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PPS for Pumps, Valves and Thermal-Management Parts: Choosing PPS over PA and PPA in Hot Fluid Systems

last page

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PPS for Pumps, Valves and Thermal-Management Parts: Choosing PPS over PA and PPA in Hot Fluid Systems

Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) is a type of polymer

Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) is a type of polymer that behaves like thermosetting rubber, but can be processed like a thermoplastic. There are many ways to achieve this combination of properties, but each method includes a multiphase polymer system with a hard phase and a soft phase. Any material that meets this standard is commonly referred to as a thermoplastic elastomer or thermoplastic elastomer.

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The Turkish Plastics Exhibition was founded in 1990 and has a history of 28 years. It has received strong support from the Turkish Plastics Association and has UFI certification. The exhibition is the largest plastics industry fair held in Eurasia every year and has a great influence in the local and even the world. It is currently the only professional exhibition in the plastics industry in Turkey, and it is the most ideal for Chinese plastic companies to enter the Turkish market Way. For the first time, the Yijiasheng Group participated in this exhibition with the Turkish company ICASON KIMYEVI MADDELER SAN.TIC.LTD.STI., Which has well publicized and introduced the company, and also has a deep understanding of the market and customers!

Icason Holding Group

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