Polyacrolein microspheres
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorAlan Rembaum
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Microspheres of acrolein homopolymers and copolymer with hydrophillic comonomers such as methacrylic acid and/or hydroxyethylmethacrylate are prepared by cobalt gamma irradiation of dilute aqueous solutions of the monomers in presence of suspending agents, especially alkyl sulfates such as sodium dodecyl sulfate. Amine or hydroxyl modification is achieved by forming adducts with diamines or alkanol amines. Carboxyl modification is effected by oxidation with peroxides. Pharmaceuticals or other aldehyde reactive materials can be coupled to the microspheres. The microspheres directly form antibody adducts without agglomeration.
Claims21
A method of preparing small polymeric microspheres comprising the steps of:
- forming a solution of less than 5% by weight of a monomer mixture containing at least 10% by weight of an unsaturated aldehyde selected from the group consisting of acrolein and C.sub.1 to C.sub.8 aryl, alkyl and cycloalkyl derivatives thereof and at least 20% by weight of at least one addition copolymerizable monomer having a hydrophilic substituent selected from hydroxyl amino or carboxyl and 0.1 to 20% of a polyunsaturated crosslinking agent;
- irradiating the solution with radiation capable of initiating polymerization;
- and
- recovering said microspheres.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.