Hydrogel materials formed by radiation polymerization of carbohydrates and unsaturated monomers
AssigneeThe Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
InventorKevin J. Warne
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Abstract
Homogeneous hydrogels comprise a water-soluble sugar, derivative or mixture thereof, radiation cross-linked with at least one ethylenically unsaturated compound. A preferred combination is sucrose or glucose cross-linked with acrylic acid. The hydrogels may contain additives e.g. plasticizers such as glycerol. The hydrogels are strong and expand to a large extent e.g. 30.times. on water absorption. They are particularly suitable for use in medical dressings, preferably bonded to a supporting film which may be a semi-permeable membrane allowing control of water loss. A method for preparing such a hydrogel and dressing is also described.
Claims31
An homogeneous hydrogel material comprising a water-soluble organic material, selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, tetrasaccharides, and pentasaccharides and derivatives thereof, radiation crosslinked in aqueous solution with at least one water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated compound having at least one hydrophilic group appendant thereto.
A method of preparing a hydrogen material which comprises the steps of
- (a) selecting a water-soluble organic material from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides, trisaccharides, tetrasaccharides, and pentasaccharides and derivatives thereof;
- (b) selecting at least one water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated compound having at least one hydrophilic group appendant thereto;
- (c) forming a mixture in aqueous solution of the selected products of steps (a) and (b), the solution containing at least 20% by weight of the water-soluble organic material;
- and
- (d) exposing the aqueous solution to ionising radiation until an homogeneous hydrogel material is formed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.