Makrolon 2458: specs and equivalent grades
Covestro low viscosity polycarbonate (PC) for medical devices, with easy release, biocompatibility data to many ISO 10993-1 tests, and EtO or 121°C steam sterilization. Published data, grades from other producers to ask about, and how to request a quote from one gaylord.
Request a QuoteThe short answer
Makrolon 2458 is Covestro’s low viscosity, easy-release polycarbonate (PC) for medical devices. Covestro describes it as biocompatible according to many ISO 10993-1 test requirements and suitable for ethylene oxide (EtO) and steam sterilization at 121°C, in transparent and opaque colors. Covestro has been owned by XRG since December 2025; the Makrolon name did not change. Published melt volume rate is 19 cm³/10 min, measured at 300°C / 572°F, 1.2 kg, ISO 1133, and density is 1.20 g/cm³ (ISO 1183). Grades from other producers to ask about include Lexan HPS1R and Calibre 2061-15. They are not identical, and in a medical device any change needs your own qualification, so compare the data sheets and run a trial before switching.
Also written as: Makrolon 2458 RE is listed by Covestro as a separate product (a partially bio-circular version attributed by mass balance under ISCC PLUS, with the same MVR of 19 cm³/10 min). ISO shortname on the data sheet: ISO 7391-PC,MR,(,,)-18-9. Quote the full code and color number from your device history file or bag label; color changes the grade.
Buying Makrolon 2458: one gaylord to a railcar · supplier COA on every prime lot · ships from 22+ partner warehouse locations · a polymer chemist checks the grade code before we quote · we aim to quote within one to three business days
Have a part number or drawing callout?
Paste it as written. A polymer chemist will tell you which grade it calls for, suggest equivalents and quote it by email.
Makrolon 2458 specs from the data sheet
Typical values from Covestro’s Makrolon 2458 product page, with melt temperature and MFR from a December 2023 distributor copy of the same data. Typical values are not specifications; the lot COA shows what you actually receive. Values only compare at the same test method and condition.
| Property | Value | Test method or note |
|---|---|---|
| Producer (brand owner) | Covestro (owned by XRG since December 2025) | Brand name unchanged |
| Polymer | Polycarbonate (PC), low viscosity, easy release | |
| Process | Injection molding; medical devices | |
| Biocompatibility | Biocompatible according to many ISO 10993-1 test requirements | Covestro wording; ask for the test list that applies to your device |
| Sterilization | Ethylene oxide (EtO) and steam at 121°C | Covestro product description |
| Melt flow | MVR 19 cm³/10 min; MFR 20 g/10 min | 300°C / 572°F, 1.2 kg, ISO 1133 (MFR from distributor copy) |
| Density | 1.20 g/cm³ (1,200 kg/m³, ISO 1183) | |
| Mold shrinkage, parallel / normal | 0.65 % / 0.70 % | ISO 294-4, 60 × 60 × 2 mm plaque |
| Water absorption, saturation / equilibrium | 0.3 % / 0.12 % | ISO 62, 23°C (equilibrium at 50% RH) |
| Tensile modulus | 2,400 MPa | ISO 527 |
| Yield stress / stress at break / strain at break | 65 MPa / 70 MPa / 130 % | ISO 527 |
| Flexural modulus / flexural strength | 2,350 MPa / 97 MPa | ISO 178 |
| Notched Izod impact, 23°C / -30°C, 3 mm | 65 kJ/m² (partial break) / 15 kJ/m² (complete break) | ISO 180/A |
| HDT 1.8 MPa / 0.45 MPa | 125°C / 257°F; 139°C / 282°F | ISO 75 |
| Vicat softening temperature, 50 N | 145°C (50°C/h); 146°C (120°C/h) | ISO 306 |
| Glass transition temperature | 146°C | ISO 11357, 10°C/min |
| Oxygen index | 28 % | ISO 4589-2 |
| Light transmittance, clear | 89 % at 1 mm and 2 mm; 88 % at 3 mm; 87 % at 4 mm; haze below 0.8 % at 3 mm | ISO/CIE 11664; haze ASTM D1003 |
| Drying | 120°C / 248°F for 2–3 h (dry air dryer); max moisture 0.02 % | Covestro processing data |
| Melt / mold temperature | 280–320°C (536–608°F) / 80–120°C (176–248°F) | Range from a 2023 copy of the Covestro data sheet; Covestro’s page gives a standard melt temperature of 300°C |
| Medical use conditions | Use in any medical application is subject to Covestro’s guidance document on use of its products in medical applications; some applications need Covestro’s prior written approval. | Covestro product page |
| Food contact | Covestro’s page says regulated uses such as food contact need its prior written approval. |
Source data sheets are listed at the bottom of this page. Confirm against the current sheet for your exact grade code and color.
Grades to ask about instead of Makrolon 2458
These grades from other producers are also sold for medical devices and have similar published specs. None is a drop-in replacement: biocompatibility testing, sterilization limits, change-control terms, mold release and approvals differ. If your device file names Makrolon 2458, any change needs your own qualification and regulatory review.
| Grade | Producer | Melt flow | Density | Key property | How it compares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexan HPS1R | NexPoint Materials in the Americas and Europe (formerly SABIC) | MFR 25 g/10 min (300°C / 572°F, 1.2 kg, ASTM D1238); MVR 23 cm³/10 min (ISO 1133) | Specific gravity 1.20 (ASTM D792, ISO 1183) | Biocompatible (ISO 10993 or USP Class VI); EtO, e-beam and gamma sterilizable; notched Izod 640 J/m natural and tints (ASTM D256, not comparable with the ISO 180 value for 2458); HDT 127°C at 1.8 MPa, 6.4 mm (ASTM D648) | Partial match. Higher flow than 2458 and listed for gamma and e-beam as well as EtO. The sheet says it carries healthcare management of change and more mold release than HPS1. A distributor listing calls it a limited-use grade and says to confirm availability with the producer, so check that first. Quote this alternative › |
| Calibre 2061-15 | Trinseo | MFR 15 g/10 min; MVR 12 cm³/10 min (300°C / 572°F, 1.2 kg, ASTM D1238 / ISO 1133) | Specific gravity 1.20 (ASTM D792, ISO 1183) | Compliant with ISO 10993 (Trinseo wording); steam and EtO sterilizable; notched Izod 750 J/m (ASTM D256), 74 kJ/m² (ISO 180/A); HDT 120°C at 1.8 MPa (ISO 75); transmittance 89 % at 3.2 mm | Partial match. Same sterilization methods and contains mold release, but lower flow (MVR 12 vs 19), so check fill on thin walls. Trinseo has been in a prepackaged Chapter 11 since May 2026 and now expects to exit in the first half of 2027; ask about supply continuity. Quote this alternative › |
From each producer's published data. Brand owners and grade names change; confirm on the current data sheet.
Typical uses for Makrolon 2458
From Covestro’s product description and published data:
- Medical devices molded by injection
- Device parts sterilized by ethylene oxide or steam at 121°C
- Clear device housings and components: 89 % light transmittance at 2 mm on the sheet
- Parts where easy release helps ejection in multi-cavity medical tools
What to check before you switch
- Medical devices need your own qualification. Biocompatibility data on a resin do not qualify your finished device. Covestro says 2458 is biocompatible according to many ISO 10993-1 test requirements; ask which tests apply to your device and get the producer’s current statements.
- Covestro attaches conditions to medical use and asks that its medical-use guidance be followed; some applications need its prior written approval. Ask whether the documentation you need comes with the lot you buy, and confirm change-notification terms before you commit.
- Sterilization: 2458 is listed for EtO and 121°C steam. Lexan HPS1R adds gamma and e-beam; Calibre 2061-15 lists steam and EtO. Do not change sterilization method without retesting.
- Same producer: Covestro also lists Makrolon 2458 RE as a separate product, and Makrolon 2405 is a general-purpose grade that Covestro does not sell for medical use without its approval. If your part is medical, 2405 is not the grade.
- Polycarbonate must be dry. Covestro asks for 120°C / 248°F for 2–3 hours and 0.02 % maximum moisture; wet PC splays and loses impact strength. See our resin drying guide.
- Compare melt flow, density and impact only at the same test condition and method (ASTM vs. ISO results differ).
- Run a trial lot and check shrinkage, clarity and dimensions before you change a validated process.
Buying Makrolon 2458: price, lead time and lot size
- Lot size. From one gaylord to a railcar. See gaylord, LTL and truckload for typical weights per box.
- Where it ships from. 22+ partner warehouse locations. Material already in a partner warehouse usually moves sooner than a grade that has to come from the producer; your quote says which applies.
- Price. We do not publish prices because they move with feedstock, freight and order size. What moves your price most: lot size, color, ship-to region, and whether you need Makrolon 2458 itself or can accept a matched alternative. See how resin is priced (and our PC price per pound page) and the monthly market update.
- Paperwork. Supplier COA on every prime lot (what a COA shows). For medical parts, ask for the producer’s biocompatibility and regulatory statements for the exact grade and color before you order.
- Trying an alternative? Start with one gaylord as a trial lot, molded and checked before you commit a full release.
- If Makrolon 2458 itself is not available. Some branded grades are sold only through the producer’s own channels or go on allocation. If we cannot source it, we tell you, then quote a matched alternative with a side-by-side comparison.
Send the grade code, your annual volume and ship-to location. A polymer chemist checks it before we quote; we have been in the resin business for 30+ years. For several grades at once, use the resin RFQ template.
Trade names belong to their owners. ResinBridge is not affiliated with these producers; grade names are used only to identify the material. Data reflects published sheets as of October 2026.
Sources
- Covestro Makrolon 2458 product data
- Covestro Makrolon 2458 data sheet, Dec 2023 (distributor copy via Protolabs, PDF)
- Covestro: Guidance on use of Covestro products in a medical application
- Covestro Makrolon 2458 RE product page
- ChemAnalyst: XRG completes Covestro takeover (Dec 2025)
- SABIC LEXAN HPS1R data sheet (distributor copy, PDF)
- Trinseo CALIBRE 2061-15 data sheet (distributor copy, PDF)
- Trinseo directors’ report and financial statements (Oct 2026)
- Resinex Lexan HPS1R listing
Common questions
What is Makrolon 2458?
Makrolon 2458 is Covestro’s low viscosity, easy-release polycarbonate for medical devices. Covestro describes it as biocompatible according to many ISO 10993-1 test requirements and suitable for EtO and steam sterilization at 121°C.
What is the melt flow of Makrolon 2458?
MVR 19 cm³/10 min at 300°C / 572°F, 1.2 kg (ISO 1133). A distributor copy of the data also lists MFR 20 g/10 min.
Can Makrolon 2458 be sterilized?
Covestro lists it as suitable for ethylene oxide (EtO) and steam sterilization at 121°C. Other methods need your own testing and the producer’s guidance.
What is equivalent to Makrolon 2458?
Grades from other producers to ask about include Lexan HPS1R and Calibre 2061-15. None is identical; any change in a medical device needs your own qualification and regulatory review.
Can ResinBridge supply Makrolon 2458?
We quote Makrolon 2458 when our supply partners can source it. If they cannot, we say so up front and quote a matched alternative, named on the quote with its data sheet, so you can decide whether to trial it.
If your grade is not listed, tell us what you run. We source commodity, engineering and specialty resins.
Need Makrolon 2458 or an equivalent?
A polymer chemist reviews every request, then matches your grade or finds a matched alternative and prices it.
What to send for an accurate quote
- The grade name, from any supplier, or a data sheet
- Color (natural, black or a custom match)
- Fill type and percentage, if any
- Melt flow, if you know it
- Quantity for this order and what you use in a year
- Ship-to city and state or province
Quote Makrolon 2458 or a matched alternative
A polymer chemist checks the data sheet and tells you exactly what you would get before you order.
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