Polyether polyurethane polymers, gels, solutions and uses thereof

A gel of improved strength, absorption and integrity formed by the steps of:

• mixing a gel forming polyurethane polymer reaction product of improved slip properties in a water solution, said water solution selected from the group consisting of a diol and water solution and a triol and water solution, the amount by weight of said diol or said triol in said water solution is at least 5%;
• said reaction product comprises a mixture of:
• a diol comprising a long chain polyoxyalkylene glycol said polyoxyallcylene glycol selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of 400 to 20,000 and polyoxypropylene glycol having an average molecular weight of about 200 to about 4,000, the amount by weight of said polyoxyalkylene glycol in the reaction mixture being from about 20% to about 96%;
• a low molecular weight alkylene glycol selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol, tripropylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 2,-4-pentanediol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, cyclohexanediol, cyclohexanedimethanol, 2-methyl-1,3-pentanediol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, and mixtures thereof;
• an organic diisocyanate;
• and
• a urea equivalent said the urea equivalent is formed from an amount of about 0.01% to about 0.8% water in the reaction mixture and about 0.03% to about 10.0% of an amine in the reaction mixture, the ratio of NCO to OH of the long chain polyoxyalkylene glycol, the alkylene glycol and the water being from about 0.84 to about 0.96;
• heating the mixture with stirring until homogeneous;
• and
• cooling the mixture;
• wherein the amount by weight of the reaction product in the gel is about 0.05% to about 50% and the viscosity of said gel at room and body temperature impedes a 30 gram stainless steel ball.

A gel of improved strength and integrity and absorption formed by the steps of:

• mixing a gel forming polyurethane polymer reaction product in a water solution, said water solution selected from the group consisting of a diol and water solution and a triol and water solution, the amount by weight of said diol or triol in said water solution is at least 5%;
• said gel forming reaction product comprises a mixture of:
• a diol comprising a high molecular weight long chain polyoxyethylene glycol having a number average molecular weight of 4000 to 15,000 mixed with a low molecular weight polyoxyalkylene diol selected from the group consisting of polyoxypropylene glycol, polyoxytetramethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene glycol and mixtures thereof having a number average number molecular weight of about 400 to about 2,000, the amount by weight of said high molecular weight polyoxyethylene glycol in the reaction mixture being at least 30%;
• a low molecular weight alkylene glycol selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol, tripropylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 2,-4-pentanediol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, cyclohexanediol, cyclohexanedimethanol, 2-methyl-1,3-pentanediol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol and mixtures thereof;
• an organic diisocyanate;
• and
• water in an amount by weight of about 0.01% to about 0.35% , the ratio of NCO to OH of the high molecular weight and low molecular weight polyoxyalkylene diol, the alkylene glycol and the water being from about 0.84 to about 0.96;
• and
• heating the reaction mixture with stirring until homogeneous;
• and
• cooling the reaction mixture, wherein the amount by weight of the reaction product in the gel is about 0.01% to about 50%;
• wherein the viscosity of said gel at room and body temperature impedes a 30 gram stainless steel ball.

A hydrophilic polyether polyurethane gel of improved absorption and slip properties comprising the reaction product of a mixture of:

• a long chain polyoxyalkylene glycol, said polyoxyalkylene glycol selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene glycol having a number average molecular weight of about 400 to about 20,000 and polyoxypropylene glycol and having a number average molecular weight of about 200 to about 4,000;
• an alkylene glycol selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, 2-ethyl-1,3-hexanediol, tripropylene glycol, triethylene glycol, 2,-4-pentanediol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, cyclohexanediol, cyclohexanedimethanol, 2-methyl-1,3-pentanediol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol and mixtures thereof;
• an organic diisocyanate;
• a urea equivalent, said urea equivalent is formed from a first amount by weight of about 0.03% to about 0.2% of water in the reaction mixture, the ratio of NCO to OH of the long chain polyoxyalkylene glycol, the alkylene glycol and the water being from about 0.84 to about 0.96;
• and
• a water solvent solution selected from the group consisting of a second amount of water, a diol and a second amount of water and a triol and second amount of water.

A hydrophilic polyether polyurethane gel of improved strength and absorption comprising the reaction product of a mixture of:

• a diol comprising a high molecular weight long chain polyoxyalkylene glycol of polyoxyethylene glycol having a number average molecular weight of 4,000 to 12,000, mixed with a low molecular weight polyoxyethylene having a number average number molecular weight of about 400 to about 2,000, the amount by weight of said high molecular weight polyoxyethylene in the reaction mixture being from at least about 30%;
• a low molecular weight alkylene glycol selected from ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, and diethylene glycol and mixtures thereof;
• an organic diisocyanate;
• water in an amount by weight of about 0.01% to about 0.35%, the ratio of NCO to OH of the high molecular weight and low molecular weight polyoxyethylene glycol, the alkylene glycol and the water from being about 0.70 to about 0.98;
• and
• a water solvent solution selected from the group consisting of a second amount of water, a diol and a second amount of water and a triol and second amount of water.