LCP

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LCPs – liquid crystal polymers – are thermoplastic resins which exhibit unique properties. These materials have many unique and desirable traits including exceptional mechanical strength, heat tolerance for autoclaving, and chemical inertness. Thus, these materials have found favor in many high performance applications from automotive, electronic, medical device, to food containers.

These aromatic polyester plastics are often difficult to process and can be cost-prohibitive to maximize end user benefit. At Zeus, we seized this challenge and have perfected a process to produce LCP as a monofilament fiber with all of the significant properties of LCPs. Our LCP monofilament fiber possesses excellent tensile strength and surpasses many similar monofilaments such as nylon, polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), and even polyether ether ketone (PEEK) in terms of stiffness.

With recent renewed interest in the development of an MRI-compatible catheter, our LCP monofilament is an ideally suited material for catheter braiding reinforcement used as a replacement for metal wire braiding such as stainless steel. Our LCP allows the catheter to retain excellent torquability, pushability, and distal end deflectability. Since LCP is non-metallic, catheters made using this material meet MRI-compatibility requirements. As an added consequence, an MRI-compatible catheter enables catheterization procedures to be performed without ionizing radiation from x-ray.

LCP can be challenging to obtain for medical device componentry due to regulatory paperwork. We at Zeus can streamline this work for you to get you to your goal sooner. We can expedite your supply chain, and we have samples ready to evaluate. We have the capability to provide LCP monofilament in custom sizes and profiles. Regardless of your application, our LCP monofilament fiber is unmatched in terms of performance and value.

For the catheter manufacturing process, our LCP monofilament is easily braided with industry-standard equipment and resists fraying (“bird nesting”) for maximum production efficiency. Thus, LCP fiber easily integrates into your current braiding process with minimal changes. Our LCP monofilament resists kinking and can be wound onto Steeger and Wardwell bobbins and DIN 160 spools.

Our LCP fiber braiding can be used in lieu of metals such as stainless steel, nitinol, and tungsten that are typically used in catheter construction. Our LCP fiber possesses excellent tensile strength, is Class VI approved, and can be autoclaved.

Contact our team or call toll-free in the US 1-800-526-3842 or +1-803-268-9500 internationally today to see how we can develop a precision solution to give you a competitive advantage or to request prototyping samples.

  • APPLICATIONS

    Catheter Braiding – For intravascular and minimally invasive medical procedures, LCP monofilament provides superior performance as catheter reinforcement braiding. LCP fiber is particularly preferable for procedures such as MRI which preclude the use of metals. Using LCP monofilament braiding results in a catheter with excellent torquability, pushability, and deflectability at the distal end.

    Because minimally invasive procedures have become routine today, the potential applications for this LCP monofilament are broad. Many of these applications where catheters are employed would benefit from our LCP fiber, ranging from diagnostic, therapeutic, to investigational.

  • PRODUCTS

    Custom Sizes and Profiles – At Zeus, we focus on your goals just as much as you do. We offer a wide scope of custom sizes and profiles for our LCP monofilament fiber. We can custom manufacture your LCP fiber to include diameter, rectangular and square profiles, and sizing. If you do not see your specific application described, please contact us to see what we can do for you.

    LCP Monofilament Fiber – Our proprietary extrusion process has produced a superior LCP monofilament with the most desired utilitarian properties. Providing a means to eliminate metal catheter shafts, medical devices made with our LCP fiber reinforcement are MRI compatible. Zeus LCP monofilament is also a superior replacement for glass fiber reinforcement. This monofilament can be supplied with customizable sizes and profiles.

  • KEY PROPERTIES

    Easily Integrated into Industry Standard Equipment – For manufacturability and catheter construction, our LCP monofilament can be easily incorporated into standard braiding machines with minimal changes. This allows for quicker change-overs and saves set-up time. LCP fiber resists kinking and can be wound onto Steeger and Wardwell bobbins as well as DIN 160 spools.

    High Tensile Strength – LCP monofilament’s tensile strength is superior to most other monofilament materials used in catheter construction today and even rivals stainless steel.

    Minimal Fraying – Our LCP monofilament displays little to no fraying, or “bird nesting,” when properly integrated into braiding machines. Thus, LCP is much easier to work with compared to almost all other monofilaments and multifilament yarns.

    MRI-Compatibility – Replacing metal catheter shafts such as nitinol, stainless steel, or tungsten with non-metal material, our LCP reinforcement allows these catheters to be used in MRI and similar procedures.

    Sterilizable – Because of its wide working temperature range of -58 °F (-50 °C) to 302 °F (150 °C), Zeus LCP monofilament is autoclavable and is Class VI approved.

    Superior to Glass-Filled Fibers – For deflectable catheters, LCP performs better than glass-filled materials, and the catheter retains exceptional deflectability at the distal end.

    Tight Tolerances – We provide LCP fiber with very tight tolerances. We customize your size tolerance based on your particular specification.

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