Hydrogel composition and methods for making the same
AssigneeDePuy Products, Inc.
InventorsRichard S. King, George Lawrence Grobe, III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention provides a hydrogel composition comprising water and a hydrophilic polymer, wherein the hydrogel composition has (a) an ultimate tensile strength of about 10 kPa or more, (b) a compressive strength of about 70 kPa or more, or (c) an ultimate tensile strength of about 10 kPa or more and a compressive strength of about 70 kPa or more. The invention further provides methods for producing a hydrogel composition.
Claims14
A method for producing a hydrogel composition comprising water and a crosslinked hydrophilic polymer, wherein the hydrogel composition has (a) an ultimate tensile strength of about 10 kPa or more, (b) a compressive strength of about 70 kPa or more, or (c) an ultimate tensile strength of about 10 kPa or more and a compressive strength of about 70 kPa or more, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a compression mold having an internal volume,
- (b) providing a hydrogel precursor in powder or pellet form comprising a melt-processable, radiation crosslinkable, hydrophilic polymer which is poly(ethyleneoxide) having an average molecular weight of about 1,000,000 atomic mass units or greater,
- (c) filling at least a portion of the internal volume of the compression mold with the precursor,
- (d) compressing the precursor contained within the compression mold to form a molded body therefrom,
- (e) irradiating at least a portion of the molded body by exposing the molded body to gamma, X-ray, or electron beam radiation the absence of water, to crosslink at least a portion of the hydrophilic polymer contained within the molded body, and
- (f) hydrating the irradiated molded body to form a hydrogel composition therefrom;
- wherein the hydrogel composition has a water content of at least 75% by weight,
- wherein the molded body is hydrated by submerging at least a portion of the molded body in an aqueous solution having a temperature of about 50° C. to about 90° C. for about 120 hours to about 220 hours.
A method for producing a hydrogel composition comprising water and a crosslinked hydrophilic polymer, wherein the hydrogel composition has (a) an ultimate tensile strength of about 10 kPa or more, (b) a compressive strength of about 70 kPa or more, or (c) an ultimate tensile strength of about 10 kPa or more and a compressive strength of about 70 kPa or more, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a dispersion comprising a peroxide crosslinking agent,
- (b) providing a hydrogel precursor in powder or pellet form comprising a melt-processable, hydrophilic polymer which is poly(ethyleneoxide) having an average molecular weight of about 1,000,000 atomic mass units or greater,
- (c) coating at least a portion of the hydrogel precursor with the dispersion,
- (d) providing a compression mold having an internal volume,
- (e) filling at least a portion of the internal volume of the compression mold with the coated precursor produced in step (c),
- (f) compressing the precursor contained within the compression mold to form a molded body therefrom and crosslink in the absence of water at least a portion of the hydrophilic polymer contained within the molded body, and
- (g) hydrating the molded body to form a hydrogel composition therefrom;
- wherein the hydrogel composition has a water content of at least 75% by weight.
A method for producing a hydrogel composition comprising water and a crosslinked hydrophilic polymer, wherein the hydrogel composition has (a) an ultimate tensile strength of about 10 kPa or more, (b) a compressive strength of about 70 kPa or more, or (c) an ultimate tensile strength of about 10 kPa or more and a compressive strength of about 70 kPa or more, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a compression mold having an internal volume,
- (b) providing a hydrogel precursor in powder or pellet form comprising a melt-processable, radiation crosslinkable, hydrophilic polymer which is poly(ethyleneoxide) having an average molecular weight of about 1,000,000 atomic mass units or greater,
- (c) filling at least a portion of the internal volume of the compression mold with the precursor,
- (d) compressing the precursor contained within the compression mold to form a molded body therefrom,
- (e) irradiating at least a portion of the molded body by exposing the molded body to gamma, X-ray, or electron beam radiation the absence of water, to crosslink at least a portion of the hydrophilic polymer contained within the molded body, and
- (f) hydrating the irradiated molded body to form a hydrogel composition therefrom;
- wherein the hydrogel composition has a water content of at least 75% by weight,
- wherein the hydrogel precursor further comprises a second polymer.
A method for producing a hydrogel composition comprising water and a crosslinked hydrophilic polymer, wherein the hydrogel composition has (a) an ultimate tensile strength of about 10 kPa or more, (b) a compressive strength of about 70 kPa or more, or (c) an ultimate tensile strength of about 10 kPa or more and a compressive strength of about 70 kPa or more, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a compression mold having an internal volume,
- (b) providing a hydrogel precursor in powder or pellet form comprising a melt-processable, radiation crosslinkable, hydrophilic polymer which is poly(ethyleneoxide) having an average molecular weight of about 1,000,000 atomic mass units or greater,
- (c) filling at least a portion of the internal volume of the compression mold with the precursor,
- (d) compressing the precursor contained within the compression mold to form a molded body therefrom,
- (e) irradiating at least a portion of the molded body by exposing the molded body to gamma, X-ray, or electron beam radiation the absence of water, to crosslink at least a portion of the hydrophilic polymer contained within the molded body,
- (f) hydrating the irradiated molded body to form a hydrogel composition therefrom, and
- (g) incorporating a second polymer into the hydrogel composition;
- wherein the hydrogel composition has a water content of at least 75% by weight.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.