MODIFIED ACRYLIC BLOCK COPOLYMERS FOR HYDROGELS AND PRESSURE SENSITIVE WET ADHESIVES

• US 20070208141A1
• Filed: 02/16/2007
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northwestern University
• Original Assignee: Northwestern University
• Inventors: Guvendiren, Murat, Messersmith, Phillip, Lee, Bruce, Shull, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 7,732,539 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 525/242
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 297/00 Macromolecular compounds obtained by successively polymerising different monomer systems using a catalyst of the ionic or coordination type without deactivating the intermediate polymer
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 8/30 Introducing nitrogen atoms or nitrogen-containing groups

Abstract

A method of producing an acrylic block copolymer comprising hydrophobic poly (lower alkyl methacrylate), hydrophilic poly (lower alkyl methacrylic acid), and hydrophobic poly (lower alkyl methacrylate) is disclosed.

Claims

1. An acrylic block copolymer comprising:

hydrophobic poly (lower alkyl methacrylate),

hydrophilic poly (lower alkyl methacrylic acid), and

hydrophobic poly (lower alkyl methacrylate)

2. A copolymer of claim 1, wherein the lower alkyl moieties of the methacrylate blocks are methyl methacrylate.

3. A copolymer of claim 1, wherein the lower alkyl block of the methacrylic acid is tert-butyl.

4. A method of making a bioadhesive block copolymer comprising a midblock and 2 end blocks, the method comprising the steps of:

polymerizing a first lower alkyl

methacrylate monomer to form the midblock and

reacting the midblock with a second lower alkyl methacrylate monomer so that a second poly (lower alkyl methacrylate) block forms on each end of the first poly lower alkyl methacrylate midblock; and

reacting the midblock with a species to increase its hydrophilicity.

5. A method of creating a bioadhesive in a substantially aqueaous environment comprising the steps of:

providing a block copolymer comprising a generally hydrophilic first poly lower alkyl methacrylate midblock and end block polymers comprising generally hydrophobic second lower alkyl methacrylate polymer(s), the copolymer being provided in a toxicologically acceptable solvent;

placing the copolymer solution within the aqueous environment and permitting solvent exchanges and gelling to occur thereby creating the bioadhesive in the aqueous environment.

6. A derivatized acrylic block copolymer synthesized by the step of:

reacting poly (MMA-MAA-MMA), with 2, −

3, 4, dihydroxyphenyl alanine (DOPA).

7. A block copolymer synthesized by the step of reacting poly (first lower alkyl methacrylate)

and poly (lower alkyl methacrylic acid) or functional modifications thereof.

8. A block copolymer of claim 7 synthesized by a further reaction with DOPA.

9. A block copolymer of claim 7 synthesized by a further reaction with a drug agent or species.

10. A block copolymer of claim 7 synthesized by a further reaction with a second lower alkyl methacrylate.