Anton Wolfsberger is Application Centre Manager PP Castfilm/ Thermoforming at Borealis, responsible for the technical customer service and the development, introduction and promotion of new products.  He also looks after new applications and new markets for non orientated polypropylene films and packaging.

He studied polymer science and technology at TGM/Vienna and is a graduate technical engineer.  He has more than 15 years experience in all kinds of extruded polyolefins, especially films and stretched applications.

His career in the Chemie Linz started back in 1984 when he began working as a technical service engineer.  In 1987 he joined he joined PCD Polymere and became group leader for PE and PP extrusion products.  He has been working for Borealis since 1988.

Anton Wolfsberger is a regular presenter at international lectures and he owns several patents concerning the above mentioned items.

The first chapter of this presentation covers the basic properties of various polyolefins and a detailed comparison regarding stiffness/toughness, heat resistance and sterilisation resistance.  The second part of this paper deals with specific application examples within the pharmaceutical and medical industry, where PP is used or PP is involved in new developments.  The impact of the gamma-sterilisation on yellow colouring and embrittlement will be discussed for injected syringes.  Solutions on special formulated injection moulding PP grades will be given.  A newly developed PP-monoblister will be compared to laminate material structures like PVC, PVC/PvdC, aluminium, paper constructions regarding push through properties and water vapour barrier (WVTR).  Especially the improved WVTR enables this new system the substitution of more expensive laminate structures.  A spin-off of this development is the introduction of the first child resistant blister with a combined peel-and push through function.  In the flexible film area new PP materials for paper/film laminates for the packaging of medical devices will be outlined.

The latest development in the area of medical packaging are PP monomaterial systems for the substitution of PVC pouches and glass bottles for medical liquids, like dialysis, parenteral or enteral solutions.  A new class of soft and transparent, sterilisable PP, based on a random-heterophasic copolymer is the key for success of this new packaging.  for the overwrapping of this pouches an easy open secondary film, based on sterilisable and peelable PP and barrier materials was developed.

Last but not least an outlook on future developments and trends will be drawn - like metallocene PP or the future cooperation between the pharma/medical industry and the raw material manufacturer.