Styrene block elastomers: an alternative material for medical applications

The development of specific polymerization technology has led to a new generation of plastics called styrene block copolymers (SBCs). They have similar properties to vulcanized rubber, but these properties can be altered by heating the materials or adding other constituents to develop polymers that are specifically designed for particular applications. These materials are relatively recent additions to the medical device industry, and their full potential has yet to be realized.