Porous hydrogels
AssigneeNovartis AG
InventorsAngelika Maria Domschke, Vimala Mary Francis
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a porous polymer, wherein a composition comprising a polymerizable component, a porogen having an inverse temperature dependent solubility and a solvent are polymerized at a temperature around the cloud point temperature of the composition. The porous polymers obtainable according to the process of the invention are useful, for example, as materials for the manufacture of biomedical devices and prostheses, including ophthalmic devices such as contact lenses or artificial corneas.
Claims10
Process for the manufacture of a hydratable porous polymer comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a homogeneous composition at a temperature below the cloud point temperature of the composition comprising
- (i) a polymerizable component that comprises at least one polymerizable hydrophilic monomer or macromer,
- (ii) a porogen having an inverse temperature dependent solubility which can be retained in the composition, wherein the porogen is an inert material, and
- (iii) a solvent;
- (b) subjecting the composition to a polymerization reaction at a temperature around the cloud point temperature of the composition;
- and
- (c) removing the porogen from the resulting porous polymer at a temperature below the cloud point temperature of the composition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.