Dendritic Macroporous Hydrogels Prepared by Crystal Templating
First Claim
1. A method of making a porous hydrogel comprising:
- preparing an aqueous mixture of an uncrosslinked polymer and a crystallizable molecule;
casting the mixture into a vessel to form a cast mixture;
drying the cast mixture to form an amorphous hydrogel film;
growing the crystallizable molecule into a crystal structure within the uncrosslinked polymer;
crosslinking the uncrosslinked polymer around the crystal structure under conditions in which the crystal structure within the crosslinked polymer is maintained; and
dissolving the crystals within the crosslinked polymer to form the porous hydrogel.
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Abstract
The present invention includes a hydrogel and a method of making a porous hydrogel by preparing an aqueous mixture of an uncrosslinked polymer and a crystallizable molecule; casting the mixture into a vessel; allowing the cast mixture to dry to form an amorphous hydrogel film; seeding the cast mixture with a seed crystal of the crystallizable molecule; growing the crystallizable molecule into a crystal structure within the uncrosslinked polymer; crosslinking the polymer around the crystal structure under conditions in which the crystal structure within the crosslinked polymer is maintained; and dissolving the crystals within the crosslinked polymer to form the porous hydrogel.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method of making a porous hydrogel comprising:
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preparing an aqueous mixture of an uncrosslinked polymer and a crystallizable molecule; casting the mixture into a vessel to form a cast mixture; drying the cast mixture to form an amorphous hydrogel film; growing the crystallizable molecule into a crystal structure within the uncrosslinked polymer; crosslinking the uncrosslinked polymer around the crystal structure under conditions in which the crystal structure within the crosslinked polymer is maintained; and dissolving the crystals within the crosslinked polymer to form the porous hydrogel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A porous hydrogel made by a method that comprises:
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preparing an aqueous mixture of an uncrosslinked polymer and a crystallizable molecule; casting the mixture into a vessel to form a cast mixture; drying the cast mixture to form an amorphous hydrogel film; growing the crystallizable molecule into a crystal structure within the uncrosslinked polymer; crosslinking the uncrosslinked polymer around the crystal with a crosslinking agent under conditions in which the crystal structure within the crosslinked polymer is maintained; and dissolving the crystals within the crosslinked polymer to form the porous hydrogel. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A hydrogel that comprises molecular pores, the hydrogel comprising:
one or more crosslinked polymers formed about a plurality of pre-formed molecular crystals, wherein the crystals are formed while the polymer is in an uncrosslinked form and the molecular crystals form a porous structure within the polymers during the crosslinking of the polymers. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A hydrogel made by a method comprising
preparing an aqueous mixture of an uncrosslinked polymer and a crystallizable molecule; -
casting the mixture into a vessel to form a cast mixture; allowing the cast mixture to dry to form an amorphous hydrogel film; seeding the cast mixture with a seed crystal of the crystallizable molecule; growing the crystallizable molecule into a crystal structure within the uncrosslinked polymer; crosslinking the uncrosslinked polymer around the crystal structure under conditions in which the crystal structure within the crosslinked polymer is maintained; and dissolving the crystals within the crosslinked polymer to form the porous hydrogel.
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Specification