Avient Corporation, a materials innovator, launched GlideTech Formulations, a new PFAS-free engineered material for healthcare, providing inherent lubricity for catheters without needing separate coatings, streamlining manufacturing and meeting regulatory demands for safer medical devices.

GlideTech materials are available in several standard base resins and offer customization options for specific applications. These single-pellet polymer compounds simplify manufacturing processes while providing excellent coefficient of friction (CoF) performance without requiring polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

"As regulations evolve, it's exciting to use our formulation expertise to help customers achieve their desired CoF performance when replacing their current materials, such as those containing PFAS," said Brad Davison, Technology Director for Specialty Engineered Materials at Avient. "The excellent lubricity and processability of GlideTech materials provide a straightforward way for catheter manufacturers to reduce processing complexity and lower manufacturing costs without compromising performance."