Polymer composition comprising cross-linked polyethylene and methods for making the same
AssigneeDePuy Products, Inc.
InventorsRichard King, Mark Hanes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides a polymer composition comprising cross-linked polyethylene having a non-polar biocompatible lipid disposed in at least a portion of the free volume of the polyethylene. The invention further provides methods for making the polymer composition.
Claims20
A polymer composition comprising (a) a matrix of cross-linked polyethylene molecules, the matrix having a free volume, and (b) at least one non-polar biocompatible lipid selected from the group consisting of squalane, fatty acids, glycerides, polyisoprenoids, cholesterol, cholesterol esters, and mixtures thereof, wherein the at least one non-polar biocompatible lipid fills at least a portion of the free volume of the matrix.
A method for producing a polymer composition, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a preform comprising ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene having a weight average molecular weight of about 400,000 atomic mass units or more,
- (b) providing a solution comprising at least one non-polar biocompatible lipid selected from the group consisting of squalane, fatty acids, glycerides, polyisoprenoids, cholesterol, cholesterol esters, and mixtures thereof,
- (c) contacting at least a portion of the preform with the solution to swell the ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene and diffuse the non-polar biocompatible lipid into at least a portion of the preform, and
- (d) irradiating at least the portion of the preform contacted with the solution in step (c) to cross-link at least a portion of the ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene contained therein and form a polymer composition comprising a matrix of cross-linked polyethylene molecules having a free volume, wherein the at least one biocompatible lipid fills at least a portion of the free volume of the matrix.
A method for producing a polymer composition, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a preform comprising ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene having a weight average molecular weight of about 400,000 atomic mass units or more,
- (b) irradiating at least the portion of the preform to cross-link at least a portion of the ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene contained therein and form a polymer composition comprising a matrix of cross-linked polyethylene molecules having a free volume,
- (c) providing a solution comprising at least one non-polar biocompatible lipid selected from the group consisting of squalane, fatty acids, glycerides, polyisoprenoids, cholesterol, cholesterol esters, and mixtures thereof, and
- (d) contacting at least a portion of the preform with the solution to swell the ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene and diffuse the non-polar biocompatible lipid into at least a portion of the free volume of the matrix.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.