Zeus commonly manufacturers co-extruded tubing with two or three (tri-extrusion) differing layers. Co-extrusions are used for a wide range of applications where different material properties are better suited for the inside and outside diameters of the tubing.
Co-extrusion is the process of extruding two or more layers simultaneously to create a new single finished product. Whether to co-extrude a radio-opaque stripe into a catheter or to form a single homogenous dual layer tubing product, co-extrusion opens up a wide range of possibilities for your polymer products.
A co-extruded tubing is often applied to take advantage of specific properties of more than one polymer. For example, if chemical inertness is most important for the interior of your tubing but you still require the mechanical strength and impact resistance of another polymer on the exterior, a co-extrusion may be your solution.
Water monitoring illustrates a specific example: FEP-lined polyethylene tubing provides the purity of a fluoropolymer on the interior for accurate measurements but still possesses the added durability and cost effectiveness of an outer polyethylene jacket. The overall benefit is a reduced cost, high purity water sampling tube.
Applications for co-extrusions are vast and can include combinations of plastics that provide varying flexibilities, conductive layers, mechanical attributes, lubricity; or fluid, gas, and chemical barriers. Leveraging our resources, the Zeus team will work directly with you to determine and develop the precise co-extrusion you need to help keep your technology flowing.
Contact us or call 1-800-526-3842 to discuss how a co-extrusion may be right for your application.
Air Purification – Co-extruded tubing is well-matched for air purification systems where layers can be tailored to provide the best barrier to prevent permeation out of into a system; this can then be combined with other properties which you choose based upon the other co-extrusion layer of your finished product.
Analytical – Co-extruded tubing has found significant use in analytical settings which often prefer colored, striped, or other marked tubing for identification of fluid contents.
Electrical Dissipation – In the automotive industry, there is heightened interest in co-extruded tubing for electrical wiring and cabling to protect and add strength while also providing desired dielectric properties, whether for conductance or non-conductance.
Fiber Optics – As furcation tubing (jacketing), co-extruded tubing provides outer layer protection such as impact resistance with an inner co-extruded layer which supports fiber optic transmission.
Medical Devices – Co-extrusions have become a popular way to adjust the properties of a tube through the combination of multiple layers of resins with different properties such as color or striping, for example: a radio-opaque stripe on the outer layer combined with chemical resistance for the inner layer.
Semiconductor – In this industry, where conductance is of paramount importance, a co-extrusion can provide superior insulation characteristics coupled with the additional traits you require for your specific operating environment, such as the ability to handle extreme corrosives on the interior of the tubing.
Water Purification – Chemical inertness of the contact (inside diameter) layer is of prime importance in this application. With a co-extrusion, chemical resistance can be combined with outer layers to impart such characteristics as impact and abrasion resistance to minimize the chances of water line breakage.
Cost Savings – Co-extrusion gives you the option of selecting a less expensive material for a particular part or phase of your application while retaining the high performance aspects you need for the other portion of your operation.
Differing Inside and Outside Material Properties – Co-extrusion allows you to choose which combination of properties are most needed for your application. At Zeus, we will work with you to find the best solution for your application. Consider these when selecting your co-extrusion application:
For further information, see the Technical Sheets on our Materials pages for specific properties of the polymers you may be considering.
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