Method for making novel compositions capable of post fabrication modification

Abstract

The invention relates to a novel method for preparing materials whose properties can be manipulated after fabrication. In this process, a base material is created in a manner that provides spaces or voids which can then be filled with a modifying composition. The method is particularly useful in the manufacture of light adjustable optical elements such as intraocular lenses.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A method for making an adjustable material, comprising:
 forming an acrylate-derived, porous base material from a composition; and   impregnating the base material with a silicon-derived and/or acrylate-derived photopolymerizable modifier by diffusing the modifier into the base material,   wherein upon stimulus-induced photopolymerization of the modifier, the refractive power of the adjustable material is changed by adjusting the refractive index, shape or both.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the base material comprises a hydrophilic material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the stimulus is light. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the light is ultraviolet (UV) light. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the base material is formed in the shape of an optical element. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the base material is a polymer comprising poly-acrylates, poly-methacrylates, poly-vinyls, poly-siloxanes, or poly-phosphazenes. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the base material is a co-polymer further comprising polyacrylate, poly-methacrylate, polyvinyl, polysiloxane and/or poly-phosphazene. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the modifier has the general formula:
   X—Y—X 1 ,
   wherein Y is a siloxane group having the general formula:   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein m and n are integers and R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4  are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, and heteroaryl, and 
         wherein X has the general formula: 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         and X 1  has the general structure: 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 5  and R 6  are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, and heteroaryl and Z is a photopolymerizable group. 
       
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the photopolymerizable group is selected from the group consisting of acrylate, allyloxy, cinnamoyl, methacrylate, and vinyl. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the modifier is an acrylate-based modifier having the general formula:
   Q-A-B-A-Q 1 ,   wherein A has the general formula selected from the group consisting of   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       and
 wherein m and n are integers and R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4  are independently selected from the group consisting of alkyls, halogenated alkyls, phenyl, hydrogen and aryl, and 
 wherein B is a dihalide containing acrylate initiator, and 
 wherein Q and Q 1  are photopolymerizable groups. 
 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the modifier has the general formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4  are independently selected from the group consisting of alkyls, halogenated alkyls, aryls and hydrogen, m and n are integers, and 
         wherein Q and Q 1  are photopolymerizable groups. 
       
     
     
         24 . The modifier of  claim 23 , wherein the photopolymerizable groups are selected from the group consisting of acrylate, allyloxy, cinnamoyl, methacrylate, and vinyl. 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an adjustable material comprising:   an acrylate-derived porous base material impregnated with a silicon-derived and/or acrylate-derived photopolymerizable modifier, wherein upon stimulus-induced photopolymerization of the modifier, the refractive power of the adjustable material is changed by adjusting the refractive index, or shape, or both.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the base material comprises a hydrophilic material. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the apparatus comprises at least one of a spectacle lens, a mirror, a contact lens, a telescopic lens, a recordable needle, and an intraocular lens. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein polymerization of the modifier induces changes in the properties of the adjustable material. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the base material comprises at least one of poly-acrylates, poly-methacrylates, poly-vinyls, poly-siloxanes, poly-phosphazenes, or a copolymer thereof. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the base material comprises a porous matrix comprising pores, wherein the pores are occupied by the modifier. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the photopolymerizable modifier is polymerizable by light. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the photopolymerizable modifier is polymerizable by ultraviolet light.