Christine and other Histonetters:

For the record, there are three Technovit products that are regularly used
in the histology labs.  They are as follows:

Technovit 7100 - GMA
Technovit 7200 - Isobornyl Methacrylate (predominantly) which is a light
initiating, brittle resin for doing ground sections of tissues (hard and
soft) with implants
Technovit 9100 - MMA

The 7200 is not a problem to ship because it is not flammable or a
corrosive.  However, if you don't have a method for light initiating the
polymerization then this resin could be problematic to use.  The light
source is 450 nanometer blue light.  The 7200 cannot be softened to use on a
sledge or sliding microtome.  It is brittle and will chatter.  I'd be
curious if Kulzer really sells the 7200 direct to you.  I think you might
have to go through an EXAKT equipment distributor to get it.  This is the
resin many people in the US use for samples with implant done on ground
sectioning equipment.

MMA is a problem to ship because the methacrylate is flammable and the
initiator is also a "dangerous good" to ship via air.  Special packaging,
labeling and documentation (along with additional shipping charges) are part
of transporting this product.  You might ask Kulzer about shipping it via
marine rather than air.  I have heard from many users of all of these Kulzer
products that the 9100 MMA is very reliable and easy to work with in those
applications (including ground sections) where MMA is the preferred resin.
In addition to contacting Kulzer you might want to contact Steve Slap at
Energy Beam Sciences.  He is a supplier of 9100 and might know of a better
way to ship to you.

I hope this helps you and all histonetters with "what Technovit number goes
with what product".

If I can provide any more info please don't hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Linda Durbin
EXAKT Technologies Inc.
800.866.7172 (Toll free in the US and Canada)
405.848.5800
405.848.7701 (Fax)



-----Original Message-----
From: Christine Lee
To: histonet@pathology.swmed.edu
Sent: 9/4/00 7:12 PM
Subject: MMA


I need some help from people more knowledgable than I in the use of
plastics.

I have managed to ferret out that Technovit 7100 is GMA, and that
Technovit
7200 is MMA.
GMA is no use to me as we will be cutting a Titanium/plastic embeded
bone
sample and the GMA is too soft. I need MMA.  The German suppliers of
Tchnovit 7200 are not sure about shipping it to Australia. The reason I
am
speciffying
Technovit 7200 is that it was used in a German paper the researcher is
following.

In the event that I connot get Technovit 7200 is there any other MMA
that
people use here in Australia and is it always reliabe??.

Thanks,

Christine Lee,
Veterinary Histopathology,
University of Queensland