Screen printable hydrogel for medical applications

Abstract

The present invention provides a screen printable hydrogel composition comprising: (a) soluble or partially soluble polymer wherein said polymer is a copolymer, interpolymer or mixture thereof; (b) initiation system; (c) thickener; (d) water; and (e) solvent; with the proviso that the composition has a viscosity of greater than about 10 Pa·s.

1 . A screen printable hydrogel composition comprising: 
 (b) A soluble or partially soluble polymer wherein said polymer is a copolymer, interpolymer or mixture thereof;    (c) initiation system;    (d) thickener;    (e) water; and    (f) solvent;    with the proviso that the composition has a viscosity of greater than about 10 Pa·s.    
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said polymer is a photocrosslinkable polymer which is a copolymer, interpolymer or mixture thereof, wherein each copolymer or interpolymer comprises (1) a nonacidic comonomer comprising a C 1-10  alkyl acrylate, C 1-10  alkyl methacrylate, styrenes, substituted styrenes or combinations thereof; (2) an acidic comonomer and its salts comprising ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid containing moiety, wherein 2-25% of the carboxylic acid containing moiety is reacted with a reactive molecule having a first and second functional unit, wherein the first functional unit is a vinyl group and the second functional unit is capable of forming a chemical bond by reaction with the carboxylic acid moiety; (3) third comonomer units formed from the reacted portion of acidic comonomers; and (4) a nonacidic comonomer comprising C 1-10  alkyl or alkoxy methacrylate or acrylate.  
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2  wherein the vinyl group is selected from a methacrylate, acrylate group or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 2  wherein the second functional unit is selected from an epoxide, alcohol, amine or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The composition of any one of claims  1 - 4  further comprising a monomer.  
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 5  wherein said monomer is selected from the group comprising polyoxyethylated trimethylolpropane triacrylate, ethylated pentaerythritol triacrylate, dipentaerythritol monohydroxypentaacrylate, 1,10-decanediol dimethlacrylate and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The composition of any one of claims  1 - 6  in which the solvent is selected from the group comprising carbitol acetate, ethanol, methyl ethyl ketone, acetone, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         8 . The composition of any of claims  1 - 7  wherein the thickener is selected from the group comprising polyvinyl pyrrolidone, fumed silica, polyethylene oxide, carboyximethyl cellulose, polyvinyl pyrrolidone/vinyl acetate copolymer, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The composition of any one of claims  1 - 8  further comprising an additive selected from the group comprising humectants, surfactants, biocides, preservatives and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The composition of any one of claims  1 - 9  further comprising an ionic component.  
     
     
         11 . The composition of any of claims  1 - 10  which is in the form of a paste suitable for screen printing.  
     
     
         12 . A method of producing a processed hydrogel film comprising: 
 (a) providing a screen printable hydrogel composition;    (b) providing a substrate;    (c) depositing the composition in (a) onto said substrate via screen printing techniques; and    (d) processing said composition on said substrate to form a hydrogel film.    
     
     
         13 . A method of producing a processed screen printable hydrogel film:  
       comprising 
 (a) A soluble or partially soluble polymer wherein said polymer is a photocrosslinkable polymer which is a copolymer, interpolymer or mixture thereof, wherein each copolymer or interpolymer comprises 
 (1) a nonacidic comonomer comprising a C 1-10  alkyl acrylate, C 1-10  alkyl methacrylate, styrenes or combinations thereof;  
 (2) an acidic comonomer and its salts comprising ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid containing moiety, wherein 2-25% of the carboxylic acid containing moiety is reacted with a reactive molecule having a first and second functional unit, wherein the first functional unit is a vinyl group and the second functional unit is capable of forming a chemical bond by reaction with the carboxylic acid moiety;  
 (3) third comonomer units formed from the reacted portion of acidic comonomers; and  
 (4) a nonacidic comonomer comprising C1-10 alkyl or alkoxy methacrylate or acrylate, along with  
 
 initiation system;  
 thickener;  
 water; and  
 solvent  
 with the proviso that the composition has a viscosity of greater than about 10 Pa·s and wherein said composition is a screen printable hydrogel composition, in the form of a paste suitable for screen printing onto a substrate comprising:  
 (a′) providing a substrate;  
 (b′) depositing the composition in (a) onto said substrate via screen printing techniques; and  
 (c′) processing said composition on said substrate to form a hydrogel film.  
 
     
     
         14 . A hydrogel film formed by the method of  claim 13 .  
     
     
         15 . An electrode utilizing (a) A soluble or partially soluble polymer wherein said polymer is a photocrosslinkable polymer which is a copolymer, interpolymer or mixture thereof, wherein each copolymer or interpolymer comprises (1) a nonacidic comonomer comprising a C 1-10  alkyl acrylate, C 1-10  alkyl methacrylate, styrenes or combinations thereof; (2) an acidic comonomer and its salts comprising ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid containing moiety, wherein 2-25% of the carboxylic acid containing moiety is reacted with a reactive molecule having a first and second functional unit, wherein the first functional unit is a vinyl group and the second functional unit is capable of forming a chemical bond by reaction with the carboxylic acid moiety; (3) third comonomer units formed from the reacted portion of acidic comonomers; and (4) a nonacidic comonomer comprising C1-10 alkyl or alkoxy methacrylate or acrylate; 
 (g) initiation system;    (h) thickener;    (i) water; and    (j) solvent;    with the proviso that the composition has a viscosity of greater than about 10 Pa·s and wherein said composition is a screen printable hydrogel composition, in the form of a paste suitable for screen printing.    
     
     
         16 . An electrode utilizing a hydrogel film produced by the following steps:  
       providing; (a) A soluble or partially soluble polymer wherein said polymer is a photocrosslinkable polymer which is a copolymer, interpolymer or mixture thereof, wherein each copolymer or interpolymer comprises (1) a nonacidic comonomer comprising a C 1-10  alkyl acrylate, C 1-10  alkyl methacrylate, styrenes or combinations thereof; (2) an acidic comonomer and its salts comprising ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid containing moiety, wherein 2-25% of the carboxylic acid containing moiety is reacted with a reactive molecule having a first and second functional unit, wherein the first functional unit is a vinyl group and the second functional unit is capable of forming a chemical bond by reaction with the carboxylic acid moiety; (3) third comonomer units formed from the reacted portion of acidic comonomers; and (4) a nonacidic comonomer comprising C1-10 alkyl or alkoxy methacrylate or acreylate; 
 initiation system;  
 thickener;  
 water; and  
 solvent  
 with the proviso that the composition has a viscosity of greater than about 10 Pa·s and wherein said composition is a screen printable hydrogel composition, in the form of a paste suitable for screen printing. 
 providing a suitable substrate;  
 depositing the composition in (a) onto said substrate via screen printing techniques; and processing said composition on said substrate to form a hydrogel film.  
 
 
     
     
         17 . An electrode utilizing A screen printable hydrogel composition comprising: 
 (a) A soluble or partially soluble polymer wherein said polymer is a photocrosslinkable polymer which is a copolymer, interpolymer or mixture thereof, wherein each copolymer or interpolymer comprises (1) a nonacidic comonomer comprising a C 1-10  alkyl acrylate, C 1-10  alkyl methacrylate, styrenes or combinations thereof; (2) an acidic comonomer and its salts comprising ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid containing moiety, wherein 2-25% of the carboxylic acid containing moiety is reacted with a reactive molecule having a first and second functional unit, wherein the first functional unit is a vinyl group and the second functional unit is capable of forming a chemical bond by reaction with the carboxylic acid moiety; (3) third comonomer units formed from the reacted portion of acidic comonomers; and (4) a nonacidic comonomer comprising C 1-10  alkyl or alkoxy methacrylate or acrylate;    (k) initiation system;    (l) thickener;    (m) water; and    (n) solvent;    with the proviso that the composition has a viscosity of greater than about 10 Pa·s and wherein said composition is a screen printable hydrogel composition, in the form of a paste suitable for screen printing.