Meeting the highest protection level standards
The membranes of Arnitel VT meet the highest standards of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) and also the European standard EM13795. The AAMI has classified medical gowns from Level 1 to Level 4, according to the protection levels against bacteria and viruses (the highest being Level 4). Like AAMI, the European Standard EM13795 classifies medical gowns according to protection levels, plus, how comfortable the gowns are.
Gowns and drapes that contain the thermoplastic elastomer Arnitel VT meet Level 4. The material solution is extruded as monolithic membranes to a few microns and subsequently laminated to fabric, making it a breathable. Arnitel VT membranes contain no perforations, but allow the passage of moisture vapor through its molecular backbone.
When made with Arnitel VT, disposable medical gown fabric is a three layer structure with the Arnitel VT monolithic impervious membrane enclosed between two spun bond fabrics made of continuous fine Polypropylene filaments. The inner fabric is treated to make it soft and comfortable and an outer fabric is treated to give it additional strength and repellency.
Arnitel VT can typically be processed like any thermoplastic polymer in a three zone single screw extruder through either direct or extrusion coating, casting or blown film production. Due to its high melt viscosity, it does not require any carrier films for support. Rheology of the Arnitel VT can be tuned to the process and even 5 micron film production is not a problem. Arnitel VT is also is 100% recyclable.