- COC provides effective chemical resistance and low adsorption rates
- Unlike PAN, suitable for all common thermoplastic processing methods
- Packaging companies adopt COC for wide range of applications, including pharmaceuticals
Topas COC from Topas Advanced Polymers has been identified as an alternative to Barex polyacrylonitrile (PAN) in the wake of the announced closure of Ineos’ lone Barex plant in Lima, Ohio. The company has specified COC in a wide range of pharmaceutical packages such as medicinal pouches and patches and other applications that require strong chemical resistance.
COC provides effective chemical resistance and low adsorption rates
The pharmaceutical packaging industry is already familiar with COC through its use in semi-rigid and container applications, according to the company. While not a 1-for-1 replacement for PAN, COC provides effective chemical resistance and low adsorption rates, exhibiting low reactivity with medical-grade chemical contents such as nicotine for patches. For example, COC’s resistance to methyl salicylate is similar to PAN and better than PETG. COC’s adsorption of nicotine is less than that of PETG and ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH). Topas’ converter customers have developed innovative nicotine patch packaging solutions utilizing COC for the transdermal industry.
Unlike PAN, suitable for all common thermoplastic processing methods
COC is known for its high purity and very good heat sealing behavior, and comes with broad global regulatory compliance for food contact and medical uses. Unlike PAN, Topas COC can be melt processed by all common thermoplastic processing methods including mono and multi-layer film, sheet, and extrusion coating, along with injection and extrusion blow molding.
