I. Compatibility Analysis of TPU Material for High-Frequency Welding
1. Superior Material Properties: TPU has good elasticity and puncture resistance, making it suitable for blood bags requiring frequent compression. It also exhibits excellent biocompatibility, meeting medical safety standards. Furthermore, it is environmentally friendly: high-temperature pressing does not produce toxic gases, aligning with green manufacturing trends.
2. Welding Feasibility: TPU is a polar material, allowing for strong connections through high-frequency welding, with weld strength approaching that of the base material. This makes it suitable for inflatable products (such as medical air cushions), indirectly demonstrating its potential application in blood bags.
3. Potential Challenges
Process Optimization Requirements: TPU's thermal conductivity differs from PVC, necessitating readjustment of welding parameters (such as heating time and pressure).
Higher Cost: TPU raw material prices are typically higher than PVC, potentially limiting its widespread adoption in low-cost blood bags.
Market Application Limitations: Currently, high-frequency welded blood bags primarily use PVC, while TPU is mostly used in high-end or special-needs applications (such as hypoallergenic blood bags).
II. High-Frequency Welding Compatibility of Other Materials
1. PE (Polyethylene): A non-polar material with poor high-frequency welding performance, usually requiring modification or other processes (such as hot plate welding).
2. PP (Polypropylene): Also non-polar, difficult to weld, mostly used for rigid containers rather than thin-film blood bags.
3. EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate Copolymer): A polar material, can be high-frequency welded, but lacks sufficient puncture resistance, rarely used alone in blood bags.