Method of purifying bioabsorable polymer
AssigneeUnited States Surgical Corporation
InventorsMark S. Roby, Nagabhushanam Totakura
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Abstract
A method for purifying a material containing a bioabsorbable polymer involves contacting the polymer with an extractant under supercritical conditions of temperature and pressure to extract residual impurities from the polymer and thereafter recovering the purified polymer. The method sharply reduces residual monomer levels in bioabsorbable polymers without altering polymer viscosity or melting point.
Claims22
A method of purifying a composition containing a bioabsorbable polymer which comprises contacting the polymer with an extractant under supercritical conditions of temperature and pressure to extract residual impurities from the polymer and recovering the purified polymer.
A method of purifying a composition containing a bioabsorbable polymer selected from the group consisting of a homopolymer, copolymer, polymeric blend and polymeric composite fabricated from one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of glycolic acid, glycolide, lactic acid, lactide, p-dioxanone, trimethylene carbonate, dimethylene trimethylene carbonate, dioxepanone, alkylene oxalates and epsilon-caprolactone which comprises:
- contacting the polymer with an extractant selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, dinitrogen oxide, carbon disulfide, aliphatic hydrocarbons, ethane, ethylene, propane, butane, pentane, hexane, halogenated hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, benzene, toluene, xylene, alcohols, methanol, ethanol and mixtures thereof under supercritical conditions of pressure in the range of from about 15 to about 800 bar and temperature in the range of from about 20.degree. to about 150.degree. C. to extract residual impurities from the polymer, and recovering the purified polymer.
A method of purifying a composition containing a solid bioabsorbable polymer selected from the group consisting of a homopolymer, copolymer, polymeric blend and polymeric composite fabricated from one or more monomers selected from the group consisting of glycolic acid, glycolide, lactic acid, lactide, p-dioxanone, trimethylene carbonate, dimethylene trimethylene carbonate, dioxepanone, alkylene oxalates and epsilon-caprolactone which comprises:
- contacting the polymer with an extractant selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, dinitrogen oxide, carbon disulfide, aliphatic hydrocarbons, ethane, ethylene, propane, butane, pentane, hexane, halogenated hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, benzene, toluene, xylene, alcohols, methanol, ethanol and mixtures thereof under supercritical conditions of pressure in the range of from about 15 to about 800 bar and temperature in the range of from about 20.degree. to about 150.degree. C. to extract residual impurities from the polymer, and recovering the purified polymer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.