Author(s)

Tadashi Otsuka, Ayako Kurosawa, Masaki Maeda, Kazushi Yamada, Masuo Murakami, Hiroyuki Hamada

Department of Advanced Fibro-Science, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan.
Pharmaceutical Development Research Laboratories of Senju Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Kobe, Japan.

In this study, the adsorptive properties of L-menthol, moisture vapor transmission rate, and mechanical properties of poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET), polypropylene (PP), and their blends were evaluated in containers fabricated by injection molding without a compatibilizing agent. These containers intended to hold pharmaceutical solutions containing lipophilic chemicals such as L-menthol. By the addition of a small amount of PP, the moisture barrier properties of PET were effectively improved, but its anti-adsorptive property was reduced. The strength of the PET/PP blends was reduced, but some PET/PP blends were still able to bear the experimental load required for application in eye-drop containers. PET/PP = 9/1 and PET/PP = 8/2 were found to be most applicable for using in the fabrication of containers for medicinal solutions.

PET/PP; Blend; Barrier; Adsorptive; Mechanical Properties

T. Otsuka, A. Kurosawa, M. Maeda, K. Yamada, M. Murakami and H. Hamada, "Barrier, Adsorptive, and Mechanical Properties of Containers Molded from PET/PP Blends for Use in Pharmaceutical Solutions," Materials Sciences and Applications, Vol. 4 No. 10, 2013, pp. 589-594. doi: 10.4236/msa.2013.410072.