Biomimetic silicone elastomers

A silicone elastomer formed by vulcanising a vulcanisable polysiloxane, or a mixture thereof, in the presence of a crosslinking agent, or a mixture thereof, the crosslinking agent or the mixture thereof including a silane having four oxygen-bonded substituents, at least one of said oxygen-bonded substituents, which may be the same or different, being selected from functionalised or unfunctionalised, substituted or unsubstituted, straight or branched chain C5-C25 alkyl;

• functionalised or unfunctionalised, substituted or unsubstituted, straight or branched chain C5-25 alkenyl or alkynyl;
• substituted or unsubstituted aryl;
• or substituted or unsubstituted acyl in which the moiety bonded to the carboxyl group is a functionalised or unfunctionalised, substituted or unsubstituted, straight or branched chain C4-25 alkyl;
• functionalised or unfunctionalised, substituted or unsubstituted, straight or branched chain C4-25 alkenyl or alkynyl or substituted or unsubstituted aryl;
• and, if necessary, a condensation catalyst.

A method of manufacturing a medical device for temporary or permanent implantation in, or for attachment in or on, a human or an animal body, the method comprising:

• employing a silicone elastomer to form said device, wherein said silicone elastomer is formed by vulcanising a vulcanisable polysiloxane, or a mixture thereof, in the presence of a crosslinking agent, or a mixture thereof, the crosslinking agent or the mixture thereof including a silane having four oxygen-bonded substituents, at least one of said oxygen-bonded substituents, which may be the same or different, being selected from functionalised or unfunctionalised, substituted or unsubstituted, straight or branched chain C5-C25 alkyl;
• functionalised or unfunctionalised, substituted or unsubstituted, straight or branched chain C5-25 alkenyl or alkynyl;
• substituted or unsubstituted aryl;
• or substituted or unsubstituted acyl in which the moiety bonded to the carboxyl group is a functionalised or unfunctionalised, substituted or unsubstituted, straight or branched chain C4-25 alkyl;
• functionalised or unfunctionalised, substituted or unsubstituted, straight or branched chain C4-25 alkenyl or alkynyl or substituted or unsubstituted aryl;
• and, if necessary, a condensation catalyst.