Polymeric beads and methods of making polymeric beads
First Claim
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1. A method of making a polymeric bead, the method comprising:
- providing a precursor composition comprising;
a) greater than 10 weight percent polar solvent based on a total weight of the precursor composition, wherein the polar solvent is not a monomer and wherein the polar solvent is water, a water-miscible organic solvent, or a mixture thereof; and
b) polymerizable material capable of free-radical polymerization and having an average number of ethylenically unsaturated groups per monomer molecule equal to at least 1.5 based on all of the polymerizable material in the precursor composition, wherein the polymerizable material is miscible with the polar solvent and wherein the polymerizable material comprises a poly(alkylene oxide (meth)acrylate) having at least 2 (meth)acryloyl functionality groups and having at least 10 alkylene oxide units;
forming a droplet of the precursor composition, wherein the droplet is totally surrounded by a gas phase; and
exposing the droplet to radiation for a time sufficient to at least partially polymerize the polymerizable material and to form a first swollen polymeric bead.
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Abstract
Polymeric beads and methods of making the polymeric beads are described. The polymeric beads are crosslinked hydrogels or dried hydrogels. The polymeric beads are formed from droplets of a precursor composition that are exposed to radiation. The droplets are totally surrounded by a gas phase. The precursor composition contains a polar solvent and a polymerizable material miscible in the polar solvent. The polymerizable material has an average number of ethylenically unsaturated groups per monomer molecule equal to at least 1.2.
108 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of making a polymeric bead, the method comprising:
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providing a precursor composition comprising; a) greater than 10 weight percent polar solvent based on a total weight of the precursor composition, wherein the polar solvent is not a monomer and wherein the polar solvent is water, a water-miscible organic solvent, or a mixture thereof; and b) polymerizable material capable of free-radical polymerization and having an average number of ethylenically unsaturated groups per monomer molecule equal to at least 1.5 based on all of the polymerizable material in the precursor composition, wherein the polymerizable material is miscible with the polar solvent and wherein the polymerizable material comprises a poly(alkylene oxide (meth)acrylate) having at least 2 (meth)acryloyl functionality groups and having at least 10 alkylene oxide units; forming a droplet of the precursor composition, wherein the droplet is totally surrounded by a gas phase; and exposing the droplet to radiation for a time sufficient to at least partially polymerize the polymerizable material and to form a first swollen polymeric bead. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 22)
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10. A method of preparing an article comprising a polymeric bead, the method comprising:
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providing a precursor composition comprising a) greater than 10 weight percent to 85 weight percent polar solvent based on a total weight of the precursor composition, wherein the polar solvent is not a monomer and wherein the polar solvent is water, a water-miscible organic solvent, or a mixture thereof; and b) 15 weight percent to less than 90 weight percent polymerizable material based on the total weight of the precursor composition, the polymerizable material being capable of free-radical polymerization and having an average number of ethylenically unsaturated groups per monomer molecule equal to at least 1.5 based on all of the polymerizable material in the precursor composition, the polymerizable material being miscible in the polar solvent and comprising i) a poly(alkylene oxide (meth)acrylate) having at least 2 (meth)acryloyl functionality groups and having at least 10 alkylene oxide units; and ii) 0 to less than 20 weight percent anionic monomer based on a total weight of polymerizable material in the precursor composition, wherein the anionic monomer comprises an ethylenically unsaturated group in addition to an acidic group, a salt of the acidic group, or a mixture thereof; forming a droplet of the precursor composition, wherein the droplet is totally surrounded by a gas phase; and exposing the droplet to radiation for a time sufficient to at least partially polymerize the polymerizable material and to form a first swollen bead. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23)
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20. An article comprising a polymeric bead having no discernible pores or voids when viewed with a scanning electron microscope with a magnification up to 50 times, wherein the polymeric bead comprises a free-radical polymerization reaction product of a precursor composition comprising
a) greater than 10 weight percent to no greater than 85 weight percent polar solvent based on a total weight of the precursor composition, wherein the polar solvent is not a monomer and wherein the polar solvent is water, a water-miscible organic solvent, or a mixture thereof; - and
b) 15 weight percent to less than 90 weight percent polymerizable material based on the total weight of the precursor composition, the polymerizable material being capable of free-radical polymerization and having an average number of ethylenically unsaturated groups per monomer molecule equal to at least 1.5 based on all of the polymerizable material in the precursor composition, the polymerizable material being miscible in the polar solvent and comprising i) a poly(alkylene oxide (meth)acrylate) having at least 2 (meth)acryloyl groups and having at least 510 alkylene oxide units; and ii) 0 to less than 20 weight percent anionic monomer based on a total weight of polymerizable material in the precursor composition, wherein the anionic monomer comprises an ethylenically unsaturated group in addition to an acidic group, a salt of the acidic group, or a mixture thereof. - View Dependent Claims (21, 24)
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Specification