The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 07, 2001
Filed:
May. 13, 1997
Kinam Park, West Lafayette, IN (US);
Jun Chen, Hatfield, PA (US);
Haesun Park, West Lafayette, IN (US);
Purdue Research Foundation, West Lafayette, IN (US);
Abstract
A superporous hydrogel composite is formed by polymerizing one or more ethylenically-unsaturated monomers, and a multiolefinic crosslinking agent, in the presence of particles of a disintegrant and a blowing agent. The disintegrant, which rapidly absorbs water, serves to greatly increase the mechanical strength of the superporous hydrogel and significantly shorten the time required to absorb water and swell. Superporous hydrogel composites prepared by this method have an average pore size in the range of 10 &mgr;m to 3,000 &mgr;m. Preferred particles of disintegrant include natural and synthetic charged polymers, such as crosslinked sodium carboxymethylcellulose, crosslinked sodium starch glycolate, and crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone. The blowing agent is preferably a compound that releases gas bubbles upon acidification, such as NaHCO,. Improved hydrogel composites formed without a blowing agent are also provided.