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Teknor Apex Co., Pawtucket, R.I,. has introduced a transparent medical TPE gel that is said to be the softest compound yet in its Medalist product line. It is designed for added comfort in skin-contact and other sensitive applications requiring molded-in seals or cushions. Medalist MD-447 is so soft that it cannot be measured accurately on the Shore A hardness scale used for other Medalist TPEs, the softest of which has a rating of 5A. The Shore OO test for ultra-soft materials gives the new compound a rating of 25. Supplied in free-flowing pellets, it reportedly avoids handling problems sometimes posed by exceedingly soft materials.

Based on a standard hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer, Medalist MD-447 is free of latex, phthalates, or animal-derived components, and complies with FDA, California Proposition 65, CONEG, and REACH requirements for medical applications.