Methods of deblocking, extracting and cleaning polymeric articles with supercritical fluids

Abstract

Methods of deblocking a polymeric article from a mold and/or removing undesirable materials from a polymeric article by applying supercritical fluids to the polymeric article. A preferred process is the treatment of ophthalmic lenses, such as contact lenses. Supercritical fluid, composed primarily of carbon dioxide, is applied to a contact lens affixed to a mold subsequent to the polymerization step. The application of supercritical fluid (SCF) causes the lens to efficiently and consistently separate from the mold, removes undesirable materials such as unreacted monomer, oligomers, or residual solvents from the lens core, and/or cleans the lens surface of adhered debris.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.