Silicones vs. polyisobutylenes in medicine, with a glimpse of the future

Silicones (or polydimethylsiloxanes, PDMSs or silicone rubbers in the vernacular) are well known to medical device users and suppliers as they have been used for decades for medical applications, particularly for implantations.

Polyisobutylene (PIB) rubbers—such as butyl rubbers, halobutyl rubbers and various PIB-based thermoplastic elastomers—are less well known, but in laboratory studies appear to have strong advantages over silicones.

The authors posit that certain well-defined PIB-based rubbers, particularly PIB-based thermoplastic elastomers, are inherently superior to silicones for implantation and other medical devices. In this paper, we present facts and discuss properties that demonstrate that position.

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