With support from Sabic, TriForest Labware has developed a polycarbonate 3L Fernbach flask that the company says is the first of its size made using the injection blow moulding process.

This new innovation enables enhanced safety within lab environments while also improving productivity during the culture sampling process. Unlike other plastic flasks of this size which are extrusion blow moulded, the TriForest Labware 3L flask uses Sabic’s Lexan HP resin which can deliver thicker walls and enhanced optical clarity, enabling real-time sample measurement similar to glass, but with greater durability.

Developing innovative solutions that can improve safety and efficiency in laboratory environments is increasingly important to the healthcare industry, enabling reduced costs and faster results. Working with TriForest Labware, Sabic was able to develop a solution that helped answer these challenges, offering a meaningful alternative to traditional materials, said Cathleen Hess, director of healthcare marketing for Sabic’s Innovative Plastics business.

Sabic’s Lexan HP resin used in the TriForest Labware 3L flask enables enhanced safety in both the transportation of lightweight flasks, as well as their use in the lab. One of the risks associated with a traditional material like glass is its potential to break during transport, posing a risk of injury to those handling the flasks. Additionally, because the 3L flask is made from Lexan HP resin as opposed to glass, it is much less likely to break, thereby significantly lowering the risk of lab technicians being exposed to biohazardous materials that may be in the flask.

Efficiency in laboratory settings is another critical industry requirement met by TriForest Labware’s 3L flask. Injection blow moulding with Lexan HP resin provides uniform, thicker walls enabling optical density measurement capabilities with limited pH shift. As a result of this new innovation, lab technicians can measure cultures within the closed system of the single flask accurately, increasing efficiency as the need to create smaller testing samples can be eliminated. Along with the benefit of real-time sample measurements enabled by these new flasks, the ability to withstand autoclave sterilisation means the flasks can be reused multiple times, which can save costs.