Electrically conductive adhesive hydrogels with solubilizer

• US 20050137276A1
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conmed Corporation (Jefferies Financial Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Yahiaoui, Ali, Keller, Caron, Borders, Richard Arnold
• Granted Patent: US 7,045,559 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 522/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/145 Hydrogels or hydrocolloids
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 9/02 Electrically-conducting adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 524/916 Hydrogel compositions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 525/936 Encapsulated chemical agent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 525/937 Utility as body contact e.g. implant, contact lens or I.U.D.

Abstract

A composition providing electrically conductive adhesive hydrogels suitable for use as skin contact adhesives and, particularly, suitable for use as an electrical interface for disposable medical devices. The present hydrogels provide for reduced skin irritation and/or malodor properties, hydrate a subject'"'"'s skin, readily wet around a subject'"'"'s skin surface hair, and protect against burning of a subject upon or due to electrical stimulation through the hydrogel. These hydrogels generally include a monomer, a first initiator, a solubilizer, and a cross-linking agent. The present hydrogels also desirably include a buffer system to help prevent discoloration of the hydrogels and/or hydrolysis of the hydrogels as well as to improve shelf-life. Other additives such as conductivity enhancers, pharmaceuticals, humectants, plasticizers, skin health agents, etc. may be added to the present hydrogels either before or after curing.

Claims

1. A composition for an electrically conductive hydrogel comprising:

a monomer;

an initiator;

a cross-linking agent; and

a solubilizer.

2. The composition of claim 1 characterized in that the solubilizer allows for a higher initiator concentration to be solubilized in the composition;

and such that the composition has a higher polymerizing potential than a similar composition without the solubilizer.

3. The composition of claim 1 having a lower concentration of residual monomeric compounds present in the hydrogel than that of a similar hydrogel without the solubilizer.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein the solubilizer is selected from the group consisting of cyclodextrin, cyclodextrin derivatives, and hydrotropes.

5. The composition of claim 4 wherein the solubilizer is selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin, gamma cyclodextrin, and methacryloyl cyclodextrin.

6. The composition of claim 1 wherein the solubilizer comprises less than about 20% by weight of the composition.

7. The composition of claim 1 further including a second initiator.

8. The composition of claim 1 further comprising a conductivity enhancer.

9. The composition of claim 1 further comprising a buffer.

10. The composition of claim 1 wherein the monomer comprises about 10% to about 80% by weight of the composition.

11. The composition of claim 1 wherein the monomer comprises about 40% to about 75% by weight of the composition.

12. The composition of claim 1 wherein the initiators comprise about 0.01% to about 2% by weight of the composition.

13. The composition of claim 1 wherein the cross-linking agent comprises about 0.01% to about 2% by weight of the composition.

14. The composition of claim 8 wherein the conductivity enhancer comprises less than about 5% by weight of the composition.

15. The composition of claim 1 wherein the monomer is selected from the group consisting of N,N-Dimethylaminoethyl acrylate ammonium DMS, dimethyl amino ethyl methacrylate, acrylamido methyl propane sulfonic acid and their salts.

16. The composition of claim 1 wherein the first and second initiators are chemical or photo initiators.

17. The composition of claim 1 wherein at least one of the initiators is a thermally activated chemical initiator.

18. The composition of claim 17 wherein the thermally activated chemical initiator is selected from the group consisting of disulfide based, peroxide based, and persulfate based initiators.

19. The electrode of claim 17 wherein the thermally activated chemical initiator is sodium metabisulfite.

20. The composition of claim 1 wherein at least one of the initiators is a hydrophobic initiator.

21. The composition of claim 1 further comprising a skin health agent.

22. The composition of claim 1 wherein the skin health agent is selected from aloe Vera, vitamin E, vitamin B, provitamin B, vitamin E acetate, and chitosan.

23. A composition for an electrically conductive hydrogel comprising:

an ionic monomer;

a first initiator;

a solubilizer; and

a cross-linking agent;

wherein the solubilizer is selected from the group consisting of cyclodextrin or cyclodextrin derivatives.

24. The composition of claim 23 further comprising a conductivity enhancer.

25. The composition of claim 24 wherein the conductivity enhancer is an electrolyte.

26. The composition of claim 23 further comprising a buffer.

27. The composition of claim 23 wherein the monomer comprises about 10% to about 80% by weight of the composition.

28. The composition of claim 23 wherein the monomer comprises about 40% to about 75% by weight of the composition.

29. The composition of claim 23 wherein at least one of the initiators is a hydrophobic initiator.

30. An electrode comprising an electrically conductive adhesive hydrogel formed from a composition comprising:

a monomer;

a first initiator;

a solubilizer; and

a cross-linking agent.

31. The electrode of claim 30 characterized in that the solubilizer allows for a higher initiator concentration to be solubilized in the composition;

and such that the composition has a higher polymerizing potential than a similar composition without the solubilizer.

32. The electrode of claim 30 having a lower concentration of residual monomeric compounds present in the hydrogel than that of a similar hydrogel without the solubilizer.

33. The electrode of claim 30 wherein the solubilizer comprises less than about 20% by weight of the composition.

34. The electrode of claim 30 wherein the solubilizer of the composition is selected from the group consisting of cyclodextrin, cyclodextrin derivatives, and hydrotropes.

35. The electrode of claim 30 wherein the solubilizer of the composition is selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin, gamma cyclodextrin, and methacryloyl cyclodextrin.

36. The electrode of claim 30 wherein the monomer comprises about 10% to about 80% by weight of the composition.

37. The electrode of claim 30 wherein the monomer of the composition is selected from the group consisting of N,N-Dimethylaminoethyl acrylate ammonium DMS, dimethyl amino ethyl methacrylate, acrylamido methyl propane sulfonic acid and their salts.

38. The electrode of claim 30 wherein at least one of the initiators of the composition is a hydrophobic initiator.