Esschem

George F Cowperthwaite

Susan C Sheariss

Allen David Johnston

Gary R Shaw

Henry M Justi

In the disclosed method for the reshaping (adornment, repair, covering, prosthetic extension, etc.) of essentially rigid, keratinaceous surfaces such as nail plates with a free radical-polymerizable acrylic ester, the free radical initiator comprises a compound of the formula III ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 through R.sup.4 are hydrogen, an aliphatic group, an aromatic group, a cycloaliphatic group, or, less preferably, a sulfhydryl group, an alkali or alkaline earth metal salt of a sulfhydryl group, a halogen, or amino group; or R.sup.3 or R.sup.4 can be an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal cation when the 5-carbon is negatively charged. The compound of formula III, in chemically-curable systems is utilized in combination with a metal salt cocatalyst and, optionally, an organic buffering compound and a crosslinker. In light-curable systems, the compound of formula III has some photosensitizing properties but is preferably used in combination with a second photosensitizer which is effective when irradiated with light having a wavelength of at least about 400 nm. These curable compositions are preferably free of organic peroxides, aromatic amines, and inorganic fillers and pigments.

Materials and methods for reshaping of essentially rigid keratinaceous

A method for improving--with an adhesion-promoting composition--adhesion of a synthetic monomeric or polymeric material (such as a curable acrylic monomer/polymerized acrylic system) to a keratinaceous substrate, as in, for example, the reshaping of fingernails or toenails. The adhesion-promoting composition comprises (A) an organic, dipolar, aprotic liquid carrier and, uniformly distributed throughout said liquid carrier, (B) pyromellitic dianhydride glycerol dimethacrylate adduct ('PMGDM'). The PMGDM isomer mixture which typically results when pyromellitic dianhydride is reacted with glycerol dimethacrylate is preferred, particularly in view of its high solubility in solvents of relatively low toxicity (e.g. lower aliphatic ketones). The adhesion-promoting composition can, if desired, be included in a nail-reshaping kit containing the materials and implements needed to reshape the nail plate.

Method of promoting adhesion to keratinaceous surface, use of same in

The disclosed method for making hollow shells (e.g. housing for in-ear hearing aids) employs a radiation-curable polymer comprising (a) a major amount of urethane methacrylate monomer (molecular weight 360-950) having a viscosity less than about 15,000 cps at 25.degree. C., (b) a viscosity-adjusting minor amount of unreacted hydroxyalkyl-methacrylate monomer, (c) a photoinitiating amount of a photoinitiator of the formula Ar.sup.1 --CO--C(OR).sub.2 --R', where Ar.sup.1 is aryl (e.g. phenyl), R is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl (e.g. methyl), and R' is hydrogen or alkyl or, preferably, aryl, and, optionally, (d) a coloring agent, e.g. a pigment concentrate. Viscosity control is of major importance; so the curable composition is generally solvent-free and free of viscosity-modifying solids (other than coloring agents). Acrylates (as distinct from methacrylates) are also omitted. The fully-formulated, curable composition is easily pourable and has a viscosity of less than about 2,000 cps. The hollow shells are made by:

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Coatsville, PA, United States of America

George F Cowperthwaite