Superabsorbent materials and uses thereof
AssigneesBioelastics Research, Ltd., The UAB Research Foundation
InventorDan W. Urry
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Abstract
Polymeric materials having an inverse temperature transition, particularly bioelastic polymers comprising monomeric units selected from the group consisting of bioelastic pentapeptides, tetrapeptides, and nonapeptides, have been found to have controllable absorbent properties that can be varied with temperature or contact with liquids. The materials are selected to be in a contracted or swollen state initially, depending on the specific use. When the material is located under different conditions (such as a different temperature resulting from being either in contact with or at distance from human skin), the material undergoes swelling or contraction to switch to the other state.
Claims28
In an absorbent appliance specifically designed for contacting body surfaces and for absorbing aqueous liquids including bodily fluids, an improvement which comprises:
- a polymeric material that undergoes an inverse temperature transition at a preselected temperature, wherein said polymeric material comprises a bioelastic polymer containing elastomeric units selected from the group consisting of bioelastic pentapeptides, tetrapeptides, and nonapeptides, wherein said polymeric material is selected to be in a contracted, less absorbent state at a temperature higher than said pre-selected temperature and in a swollen, more absorbent state when at a temperature lower than said pre-selected temperature.
In a contact lens, an improvement which comprises:
- forming said lens with a polymeric material that undergoes an inverse temperature transition, wherein said polymeric material comprises a bioelastic polymer containing elastomeric units selected from the group consisting of bioelastic pentapeptides, tetrapeptides and nonapeptides.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.