Application of sulfone, ketone and ester containing polyalkyl ether units to medical materials

A polymer composition comprising 1 to 99 parts by weight of a polyalkyl ether/polyaryl ether sulfone or ketone copolymer (A) and 1 to 99 parts by weight of a polymer (B), the total weight of the copolymer (A) and the polymer (B) being 100 parts by weight and said polymer (B) being at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polysulfone, polylaryl ether sulfone, cellulose triacetate, polyvinylchloride, polypropylene, polyurethane and polycarbonate, wherein the polyalkyl ether/polyaryl ether sulfone or ketone copolymer (A) has a reduced viscosity, measured at 35.degree. C. in a mixed solvent of phenol and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane in a weight ratio of 6/4, of at least 0.5 dl/g and wherein the polyalkyl ether/polyaryl ether sulfone or ketone copolymer (A) consists essentially of recurring units represented by the following formula (1):

• --(O--Ar.sup.1 --Z--Ar.sup.2 --O--Ar.sup.3 --) (1)
• wherein Ar.sup.1, Ar.sup.2 and Ar.sup.3 are the same or different and each a divalent aromatic hydrocarbon group which may be substituted and Z is>C.dbd.O or>SO.sub.2, and recurring units represented by the following formula (2):
• --(--(OR).sub.n --O--Ar.sup.3 --)-- (2)
• wherein R is an alkylene group having 2 or 3 carbon atoms or a combination of an alkylene group having 2 or 3 carbon atoms and an alkylene group having 4 carbon atoms, Ar.sup.3 is defined the same as above and n is a numeral which ensures that the molecular weight of a unit represented by --(OR).sub.n -- is in the range of 400 to 20,000
• the proportion of recurring units represented by the above formula (2) being present at least two units on average per molecule, and the proportion of the unit represented by --(OR).sub.n in the above formula (2) being 10 to 90% by weight based on the total weight of the recurring units of the above formulas (1) and (2).

A medical material for contact with blood wherein a portion having at least a surface for contact with blood is formed from a polymer composition comprising a polyalkyl ether/polyaryl ether sulfone or ketone copolymer (A) and polymer (B), said polymer (B) being at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polysulfone, polylaryl ether sulfone, cellulose triacetate, polyvinylchloride, polypropylene, polyurethane and polycarbonate, and the concentration of copolymer (A) in the vicinity of the surface of said portion is higher than the concentration of copolymer (A) present in the entire polymer composition forming said portion, wherein the polyalkyl ether/polyaryl ether sulfone or ketone copolymer (A) has a reduced viscosity, measured at 35.degree. C. in a mixed solvent of phenol and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane in a weight ratio of 6/4, of at least 0.5 dl/g and wherein the polyalkyl ether/polyaryl ether sulfone or ketone copolymer (A) consists essentially of recurring units represented by the following formula (1):

• --(O--Ar.sup.1 --Z--Ar.sup.2 --O--Ar.sup.3 --) (1)
• wherein Ar.sup.1, Ar.sup.2 and Ar.sup.3 are the same or different and each a divalent aromatic hydrocarbon group which may be substituted and Z is>C.dbd.O or>SO.sub.2, and recurring units represented by the following formula (2):
• --(--(OR).sub.n --O--Ar.sup.3 --)-- (2)
• wherein R is an alkylene group having 2 or 3 carbon atoms or a combination of an alkylene group having 2 or 3 carbon atoms and an alkylene group having 4 carbon atoms, Ar.sup.3 is defined the same as above and n is a numeral which ensures that the molecular weight of a unit represented by --(OR).sub.n -- is in the range of 400 to 20,000
• the proportion of recurring units represented by the above formula (2) being present at least two units on average per molecule, and the proportion of the unit represented by --(OR).sub.n in the above formula (2) being 10 to 90% by weight based on the total weight of the recurring units of the above formulas (1) and (2).

A method for producing a medical material which comprises the steps of:

• preparing a dope comprising a polyalkyl ether/polyaryl ether sulfone or ketone copolymer (A), a polymer (B) and an aprotic organic solvent (C) capable of dissolving copolymer (A) and copolymer (B), said polymer (B) being at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polysulfone, polylaryl ether sulfone, cellulose triacetate, polyvinylchloride, polypropylene, polyurethane and polycarbonate, the total concentration of components (A) and (B) being 1 to 30% by weight;
• forming the dope into a thin film;
• and
• subjecting the thin film to wet or dry molding to produce a medical material having a 1 mm or less thick portion for contact with blood, wherein the polyalkyl ether/polyaryl ether sulfone or ketone copolymer (A) has a reduced viscosity, measured at 35.degree. C. in a mixed solvent of phenol and 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane in a weight ratio of 6/4, of at least 0.5 dl/g and wherein the polyalkyl ether/polyaryl ether sulfone or ketone copolymer (A) consists essentially of recurring units represented by the following formula (1):
• --(O--Ar.sup.1 --Z--Ar.sup.2 --O--Ar.sup.3 --) (1)
• wherein Ar.sup.1, Ar.sup.2 and Ar.sup.3 are the same or different and each a divalent aromatic hydrocarbon group which may be substituted and Z is>C.dbd.O or>SO.sub.2,
• and recurring units represented by the following formula (2):
• --(--(OR).sub.n --O--Ar.sup.3 --)-- (2)
• wherein R is an alkylene group having 2 or 3 carbon atoms or a combination of an alkylene group having 2 or 3 carbon atoms and an alkylene group having 4 carbon atoms,
• Ar.sup.3 is defined the same as above and n is a numeral which ensures that the molecular weight of a unit represented by --(OR).sub.n -- is in the range of 400 to 20,000
• the proportion of recurring units represented by the above formula (2) being present at least two units on average per molecule, and the proportion of the unit represented by --(OR).sub.n in the above formula (2) being 10 to 90% by weight based on the total weight of the recurring units of the above formulas (1) and (2).