PLACTIVE AN1 Copper3D - Antibacterial

Copper3D is a Chilean company born by the union of engineers, physiotherapists and doctors to solve the skin problems suffered by patients using prostheses. More than 40% of amputees and also many other patients who use prostheses, suffer some dermal disorder due to the high bacterial load that these medical products present in contact with the skin, which lead to dermatitis, folliculitis, fungal infections and more. This problem is due to the fact that the materials used in medical devices are difficult to keep clean and sterilized. To cover this cadence, Copper3D has developed a new polymer for 3D printing with an additive containing copper nanoparticles, highly effective to eliminate fungi, viruses and bacteria, but safe for humans at the correct concentrations.

Image 1: PLACTIVE AN¹ applications. Source: Copper3D

PLACTIVE AN is a new nanocomposite consisting of high quality PLA and a copper nanoparticle additive (1-2%) with the advanced properties shown below:

• The antibacterial action manages to eliminate 99.9% of fungi, viruses and a wide range of microorganisms.
• Excellent results have been achieved in prostheses for amputees, medical applications where elimination of bacteria is essential, such as postoperative prostheses, surgical equipment and other applications. It has the certifications ISO 10993-5: 2009 (no cytotoxic potential), ISO 10993-10: 2010 (no skin irritation, no intracutaneous reactivity) and ISO 10993-12: 2012 (biological evaluation of medical devices).
• This material maintains the mechanical properties of the del PLA.
• Presents characteristics of thermoforming that facilitate the post-processing of the pieces made.
• This filament is respectful with the environment and does not produce toxic waste.
• PLACTIVE could be sterilized with UCV, ozone, Ethox or bleach; but not with dry or humid heat (autoclave) due to softening of the PLA at 55 ºC (not the additive, which remains stable until 990 ºC).

To show the world the power of PLACTIVE AN¹, Copper3D has sent samples of its product to two microbiology laboratories. Both institutions confirm that the Colony Formation Units (CFU) of Staphylococcus aureus MRSA and Escherichiacoli DH5 α, drop drastically during the first 6 hours of exposure to the PLACTIVE (> 95%), also eliminating bacterial strains up to 98% in the 8 first hours and 99.99% after 24 hours. The antibacterial power of PLACTIVE AN¹ is clearly shown in the following graph.

Image 2: Graphic of bacterial reduction. Source: Copper3D

The advanced antibacterial properties of PLACTIVE AN¹ is ideal for the entire medical ecosystem: patients, hospitals, doctors, universities; and easy to print for all types of users of a 3D FDM printer. As an example of a sanitary application, the manufacturer Copper3D has published the design of a mask for 3D FDM printing.