Purdue Research Foundation

Kos Pharmaceuticals, Incorporated

Hossein Omidian

Kinam Park

Haesun Park

Jose Gutierrez-Rocca

Dukjoon Kim

Yong Qiu

Shicheng Yang

The present invention features a method for the formation of superporous hydrogels using an ion-equilibration technique. Anionic polysaccharides are included in the hydrogel reaction mixture and cations are introduced either during or after hydrogel formation. Properties of the resulting hydrogel can be subsequently adjusted by treating the cation-complexed gel with a different cation or cation mixture under equilibrating conditions. It has been found that by properly adjusting the cations and the sequence in which they are used in the equilibration process, superporous hydrogels can be formed that are highly absorbent while maintaining favorable structural properties, including strength, ruggedness, and resiliency. It has also been found that applying appropriate dehydration conditions to them after their formation can further stabilize the superporous hydrogels formed by the method of the invention.

Formation of strong superporous hydrogels

Hydrogels having improved elasticity and mechanical strength properties are obtained by subjecting a hydrogel formulation containing a strengthening agent to chemical or physical crosslinking conditions subsequent to initial gel formation. Superporous hydrogels having improved elasticity and mechanical strength properties are similarly obtained whenever the hydrogel formulation is provided with a foaming agent. Interpenetrating networks of polymer chains comprised of primary polymer(s) and strengthening polymer(s) are thereby formed. The primary polymer affords capillary-based water sorption properties while the strengthening polymer imparts significantly enhanced mechanical strength and elasticity to the hydrogel or superporous hydrogel. Suitable strengthening agents can be natural or synthetic polymers, polyelectrolytes, or neutral, hydrophilic polymers.

Hydrogels having enhanced elasticity and mechanical strength properties

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Sunrise, FL, United States of America

Hossein Omidian