Methods of modifying surface characteristics

• US 6,451,871 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2000
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Novartis Ag
• Original Assignee: Novartis Ag
• Inventors: Lally, John Martin, Winterton, Lynn Cook, Stockinger, Friedrich, Vogt, Juergen
• Primary Examiner(s): SZEKELY, PETER A
• Application Number:
  US09/559,945
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 427/2.24, 427/162, 623/6.11, 264/1.32, 523/105, 523/106, 523/107, 523/108
• US Class Current: 523/106
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/0427 with only one layer of a composition containing a polymer binder with more layers C08J7/042
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/043 Improving the adhesiveness of the coatings per se, e.g. forming primers adhesives in the form of films or foils characterised by the primer layers between the polymer carriers and the adhesives C09J7/50
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/056 Forming hydrophilic coatings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/043 Contact lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/10 Optical coatings produced by application to, or surface treatment of, optical elements G02B1/08 takes precedence

Abstract

Biomedical devices, such as ophthalmic lenses, and methods of making such devices having a surface coating including at least one polyionic layer. A preferred method involves spray coating a polycationic material onto a core lens, rinsing and drying the lens, followed by spray coating a polyanionic material, rinsing and drying. The coating process may be applied a plurality of times to achieve a multi-layer coating on the lens surface. A particularly preferred embodiment is a contact lens comprising a highly oxygen permeable hydrophobic core coated with a 5 to 20 bilayers of hydrophilic polyionic materials.

Claims

1. A method producing a biomedical device having a core material and a surface coating comprising at least one bilayer of polyionic materials, comprising the steps of:

(a) contacting a core material with a first polyionic material, thereby bonding said polyionic material to said core material to form a coated device; and

(b) contacting said coated device with a second polyionic material having charges opposite of the charges of said first polyionic material, thereby forming a device having a polyelectrolyte bilayer.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein said biomedical device is an ophthalmic lens.

3. A method of claim 2, comprising the steps of:

(a) applying a coating of a first polyionic material to a core lens by immersing said lens in a first solution of a first polyionic material;

(b) rinsing said lens by contacting said lens with a rinsing solution;

(c) applying a coating of a second polyionic material to said lens by immersing said lens in a second solution of a second polyionic material, wherein said second polyionic material has charges opposite of the charges of the first polyionic material; and

(d) rinsing said lens by contacting said lens with a rinsing solution.

4. A method of claim 3, wherein at least one of said contacting occurs by immersing said lens in a solution.

5. A method of claim 3, wherein at least one of said contacting occurs by spraying solution onto said lens.

6. A method of claim 3, wherein the pH of the polyionic solutions are between 2 and 5.

7. A method of claim 3, wherein said rinsing solutions each have a pH which is within one pH unit from the pH of the prior applied polyionic solution.

8. A method of claim 2, comprising the steps of:

(a) applying a coating of a first polyionic material to a core lens by contacting said lens with a first solution of a first polyionic material;

(b) rinsing said lens by contacting said lens with a rinsing solution;

(c) drying said lens;

(d) applying a coating of a second polyionic material to said lens by contacting said lens with a second solution of a second polyionic material, wherein said second polyionic material has charges opposite of the charges of the first polyionic material;

(e) rinsing said lens by contacting said lens with a rinsing solution; and

(f) drying said lens.

9. A method of claim 8, wherein at least one of said contacting occurs by immersing said lens in a solution.

10. A method of claim 8, wherein at least one of said contacting occurs by spraying said lens with solution.

11. A method of claim 1, wherein no pretreatment is applied to increase the charge density of the material.

12. A method of claim 1, wherein said method comprises repeating steps (a) through (f) between 5 and 20 times.

13. A method of claim 3, wherein said method comprises repeating steps (a) and (b) between 5 and 20 times.

14. A method producing an article having a core material and a surface coating, comprising the steps of:

(a) contacting an article with a cationic polyionic material, thereby bonding said cationic polyionic material to said article;

(b) contacting said article with an anionic polyionic material, thereby bonding said anionic polyionic material to said cationic polyionic material;

(e) contacting said article with a polyallyl amine gluconolactone, thereby bonding said polyallyl amine gluconolactone to said anionic polyionic material.

15. A method of claim 14, wherein steps (b) and (c) are repeated a plurality of times.

16. A method of claim 14, wherein steps (b) and (c) are repeated about 2 to 7 times.