Schott chemically strengthens glass cartridges

Schott’s latest product, ‘Cartridges BR’ is designed to offer protection for very expensive or toxic drugs and for medications that need to be applied in hazardous environments

During the hardening process the glass cartridges bathe in a potassium nitrate solution where the sodium ions in the surface layer are exchanged for larger potassium ions from the solution.

This allows for compressive strength on the glass surface layer without increasing the risk of extractables and leachables.

Schott said that tests show cartridges hardened in this manner are three times as resistant to mechanical stresses.

The company will offer its chemically hardened cartridges in standard sizes and in customer-specific designs.

The Schott Cartridges BR can be used in auto-injectors, needle-free injection devices and pen and pump systems.

Schott product manager Andrea Wesp said: “We wanted to retain the original precise geometry to make sure that the new cartridges still work with standard pen systems.

“Chemically hardening the glass proved to be an alternative to thickening the glass and will not affect the integrity of the drug.”