DSM Dyneema — manufacturer of Dyneema® high-performance polyethylene fiber and a division of the
Netherlands-based life and materials sciences company Royal DSM NV — has introduced Dyneema
Purity® Blue, the first 100-percent colored implantable ultra high molecular weight polyethylene
(UHMWPE) fiber for medical-grade applications. The fiber, which features the original Dyneema
Purity®’s strength, softness and abrasion-resistance properties, offers improved contrast for
implantation through arthroscopic surgeries and differentiation among multiple sutures on multiple
anchors.
Dyneema Purity Blue may be used alone or in combination with standard white Dyneema Purity to
develop a high-strength suture. According to DSM, several braid patterns can be developed to
provide bright contrast among different sutures, including solid blue and white/blue combinations.
The company also reports the fiber offers good elongation and fatigue resistance compared with
traditional materials; low irritation and inflammatory levels when compared with implantable
materials such as polyester; and offers advanced biocompatibility comparable to that of Dyneema
Purity® SGX, which has been used in orthopedic sutures since 2004.
In other company news, DSM has introduced new Dyneema SB (soft ballistic) and HB (hard
ballistic) concepts for protective gear certified to German law enforcement requirements. Dyneema
SB is used in a new concept for high-comfort, covert vests that protect against handgun ammunition,
fragments and knives; and meet the German SK 1 standard for weight below 500 kilograms per square
meter. Dyneema HB comprising UHMWPE was developed for use in inserts, shields and helmets to
protect against heavier, more penetrating threats and high-caliber rifle threats. Inserts based on
Dyneema HB80 are laboratory-certified up to the German SK 4 standard, providing optimal protection
levels but weighing 20-percent less than conventional hard armor gear. Helmets and ballistic
mandible guards made with Dyneema HB meet German military standards.
May 25, 2010