Tygon is a brand name for a family of flexible polymer tubing consisting of a variety of materials to be used "across a range of specialized fluid transfer requirements". The specific composition of each type is a trade secret. Some variants have multiple layers of different materials. Tygon is a registered trademark of

Saint-Gobain Compagnie de Saint-Gobain S.A. () is a French multinational corporation, founded in 1665 in Paris and headquartered on the outskirts of Paris, at La Défense and in Courbevoie. Originally a mirror manufacturer, it now also produces a variety of ...

Corporation. It is an invented word, owned and used by Saint-Gobain and originated in the late 1930s. Tygon products are produced in three countries, but sold throughout the world. Tygon tubing is used in many markets, including food and beverage, chemical processing, industrial, laboratory, medical, pharmaceutical, and semiconductor processing. There are many formulations of clear, flexible, Tygon tubing. The chemical resistance and physical properties vary among the different formulations, but the tubing generally is intended to be "so resistant to chemical attack that it will handle practically any chemical", whether liquid, gas, or slurry. While largely non-reactive, Tygon has been reported to liberate

carbon monoxide Carbon monoxide (chemical formula CO) is a colorless, poisonous, odorless, tasteless, flammable gas that is slightly less dense than air. Carbon monoxide consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom connected by a triple bond. It is the simpl ...

and is listed among

carbon monoxide-releasing molecules Carbon monoxide-releasing molecules (CORMs) are chemical compounds designed to release controlled amounts of carbon monoxide (CO). CORMs are being developed as potential therapeutic agents to locally deliver CO to cells and tissues, thus overcomi ...

Formulations and applications

Food and beverage applications

''Tygon B-44-3'', ''Tygon B-44-4X'', ''Tygon B-44-4X I.B.,'' and ''Tygon Silver'' (antimicrobial) were widely used in the food and beverage industry, in particular in: beverage dispensing, dairy processing, soft-serve dispensing, vitamin and flavor concentrate systems, cosmetic production, and water purification systems. These formulations each meet U.S.

Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food s ...

3-A and

NSF International NSF (an initialism for National Sanitation Foundation) is a product testing, inspection, certification organization with headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan. NSF also offers consulting and training services worldwide. History NSF Internatio ...

51 criteria but they do not comply with European Directives (European Directive 2002/72/EC of 6 August 2002 relating to plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs as modified in particular by Directive 2007/19/EC of 2 April 2007).

Class VI approved

Several formulations of Tygon are USP class VI approved and can be used in either surgical procedures or pharmaceutical processing.

Medical

''Tygon Medical/Surgical Tubing S-50-HL'' — Characterized to the latest

ISO 10993 The ISO 10993 set entails a series of standards for evaluating the biocompatibility of medical devices to manage biological risk. These documents were preceded by the Tripartite agreement and is a part of the international harmonisation of the safe ...

standards and U.S.

(FDA) guidelines for

biocompatibility Biocompatibility is related to the behavior of biomaterials in various contexts. The term refers to the ability of a material to perform with an appropriate host response in a specific situation. The ambiguity of the term reflects the ongoing de ...

. This material is non-toxic, non-

hemolytic Hemolysis or haemolysis (), also known by several other names, is the rupturing (lysis) of red blood cells (erythrocytes) and the release of their contents (cytoplasm) into surrounding fluid (e.g. blood plasma). Hemolysis may occur in vivo o ...

, and non- pyrogenic. This formulation is used in minimally invasive devices, dialysis equipment, for bypass procedures, and

chemotherapy Chemotherapy (often abbreviated to chemo and sometimes CTX or CTx) is a type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs ( chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) as part of a standardized chemotherapy regimen. Chemother ...

drug delivery. ''Tygon Medical Tubing S-54-HL'' was introduced in 1964 for use in medical applications. This material can be used in

catheter In medicine, a catheter (/ˈkæθətər/) is a thin tube made from medical grade materials serving a broad range of functions. Catheters are medical devices that can be inserted in the body to treat diseases or perform a surgical procedure. Cath ...

s, for intravenous or intra-arterial infusion and other surgical uses. Tygon S-54-HL can also be fabricated into

cannula A cannula (; Latin meaning 'little reed'; plural or ) is a tube that can be inserted into the body, often for the delivery or removal of fluid or for the gathering of samples. In simple terms, a cannula can surround the inner or outer surfaces ...

e or protective sheath products using

thermoforming Thermoforming is a manufacturing process where a plastic sheet is heated to a pliable forming temperature, formed to a specific shape in a mold, and trimmed to create a usable product. The sheet, or "film" when referring to thinner gauges and cert ...

and flaring techniques.

Pharmaceutical

''Tygon LFL'' (Long Flex Life) pump tubing is non-toxic clear tubing with broad chemical resistance. It is often used in product filtration and fermentation and surfactant delivery. ''Tygon 2275 High Purity Tubing'' is a plasticizer-free material that is often used in sterile filling and dispensing systems and diagnostic equipment. This formulation is also considered to have low absorption/

adsorption Adsorption is the adhesion of atoms, ions or molecules from a gas, liquid or dissolved solid to a surface. This process creates a film of the ''adsorbate'' on the surface of the ''adsorbent''. This process differs from absorption, in which a ...

properties, which minimizes the risk of fluid alteration. ''Tygon 2275 I.B. High-Purity Pressure Tubing'' is plasticizer-free and is reinforced with a braid for use with elevated working pressures.

Peristaltic pumps

Many formulations of Tygon can be used in

peristaltic pump A peristaltic pump, also commonly known as a roller pump, is a type of positive displacement pump used for pumping a variety of fluids. The fluid is contained in a flexible tube fitted inside a circular pump casing. Most peristaltic pumps work thr ...

s, including the following: ''Tygon R-3603 Laboratory Tubing'' is commonly used in chemical laboratories. It is often used in incubators and as a replacement for rubber tubing for

Bunsen burner A Bunsen burner, named after Robert Bunsen, is a kind of ambient air gas burner used as laboratory equipment; it produces a single open gas flame, and is used for heating, sterilization, and combustion. The gas can be natural gas (which is main ...

s. This material is produced in vacuum sizes and can withstand a full vacuum at room temperature. It is a thermoplastic PVC-based material with plasticizer. ''Tygon R-1000 Ultra-Soft Tubing'' is used in general laboratory applications. It is the softest of the Tygon formulations with a

durometer The Shore durometer is a device for measuring the hardness of a material, typically of polymers. Higher numbers on the scale indicate a greater resistance to indentation and thus harder materials. Lower numbers indicate less resistance and soft ...

hardness of Shore A 40 (ASTM Method D2240-02). Because of the low

of this material it is often used in low-

torque In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force. It is also referred to as the moment of force (also abbreviated to moment). It represents the capability of a force to produce change in the rotational motion of the ...

peristaltic pumps. ''Tygon LFL'' (Long Flex Life) Pump Tubing, ''Tygon 3350'', ''Tygon S-50-HL Medical/Surgical'' Tubing, ''Tygon 2275 High Purity Tubing'', and ''Tygon 2001'' Tubing are also used in peristaltic pump applications.

Plasticizer-free/non-DEHP

Tygon tubing is available in Plasticizer-free/non-

DEHP Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, diethylhexyl phthalate, diisooctyl phthalate, DEHP; incorrectly — dioctyl phthalate, DIOP) is an organic compound with the formula C6H4(CO2C8H17)2. DEHP is the most common member of the cl ...

(non-

Phthalate Phthalates (, ), or phthalate esters, are esters of phthalic acid. They are mainly used as plasticizers, i.e., substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility, transparency, durability, and longevity. They are used primarily to soften ...

)-formulations. These formulations have a high degree of chemical resistance and do not release any hazardous material when properly incinerated. ''Tygon 2275 High Purity tubing'', ''Tygon Ultra Chemical Resistant Tubing 2075'', and ''Tygon Plasticizer Free Tubing 2001'' are all plasticizer-free. "ND-100 series" products are non-DEHP and use a non-Phthalate plasticizer. ''Tygon Silver'' Tubing has a plasticizer-free inner bore and a

silver Silver is a chemical element with the symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical co ...

-based compound on the inner surface to decrease bacterial growth and protect against

microbes A microorganism, or microbe,, ''mikros'', "small") and ''organism'' from the el, ὀργανισμός, ''organismós'', "organism"). It is usually written as a single word but is sometimes hyphenated (''micro-organism''), especially in olde ...

Industrial use

There are several formulations of Tygon that are used in industrial applications. * ''Tygon Fuel and Lubricant Tubing F-4040-A'' is translucent yellow for positive identification and flow monitoring. It is used in small engine fuel lines,

recreational vehicle A recreational vehicle, often abbreviated as RV, is a motor vehicle or trailer that includes living quarters designed for accommodation. Types of RVs include motorhomes, campervans, coaches, caravans (also known as travel trailers and campe ...

s, and lubrication lines. * ''Tygon LP1100'' is a low permeation EPA and CARB certified fuel line also used in small engines. * ''Tygon R-3400 UV Resistant Tubing'' is black in color and opaque. It remains flexible in

ultraviolet Ultraviolet (UV) is a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelength from 10 nm (with a corresponding frequency around 30 PHz) to 400 nm (750 THz), shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiatio ...

(UV) environments and is often used for electrical insulation, ink, and adhesive dispensing, and fertilizer and pesticide dispensing. Because it is resistant to UV light,

ozone Ozone (), or trioxygen, is an inorganic molecule with the chemical formula . It is a pale blue gas with a distinctively pungent smell. It is an allotrope of oxygen that is much less stable than the diatomic allotrope , breaking down in the lowe ...

, and weathering, it is commonly used in outdoor applications. * ''Tygon 2075 Ultra Chemical Resistant Tubing'' is a plasticizer-free material that is known for its high degree of chemical resistance. It can be used in ink and printing fluid dispensing, paint and solvent production, and is resistant to MEK and other chemicals. When properly incinerated it releases only carbon dioxide and water. * ''Tygon 2375 Ultra Chemical Resistant Tubing'' is now replacing Tygon 2075.

References

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External links

Saint-Gobain Web siteFlared tubing Web site
Industrial equipment Saint-Gobain