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 - 17 . (canceled) 
   
   
       18 . A method of producing a processed screen printable hydrogel film comprising:
 (a) providing a composition having 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, 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. 
 
   
   
   
       19 . A method of forming an electrode utilizing the hydrogel film of  claim 18 . 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the first functional unit is a vinyl group selected from the group consisting of a methacrylate, acrylate group, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the second functional unit is selected from the group consisting of an epoxide, alcohol, amine, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising adding a monomer. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein said monomer is selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylated trimethylolpropane triacrylate, ethylated pentaerythritol triacrylate, dipentaerythritol monohydroxypentaacrylate, 1,10-decanediol dimethlacrylate, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of carbitol acetate, ethanol, methyl ethyl ketone, acetone, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising adding a thickener selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl pyrrolidone, fumed silica, polyethylene oxide, carboyximethyl cellulose, polyvinyl pyrrolidone/vinyl acetate copolymer, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising adding an additive selected from the group consisting of humectants, surfactants, biocides, preservatives, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising adding an ionic compound.