PATENTED MATERIAL
Our Novel, Nano-Structured Materials
Water-swollen polymers known as hydrogels have many important applications in medicine, biotechnology, cosmetics and agriculture. We have demonstrated success in the design and synthesis of a new class of simple and versatile hydrogels that have a wide array of useful characteristics, including excellent ion conduction, ion-exchange capability, biocompatibility, and controlled release characteristics. These materials are derived from the sulfonation of styrene-containing block copolymers. They block copolymers phase-separate on a nanoscopic scale, and the formation of nano-domains has significant implications for processing. Association of hydrohphobic blocks leads to ‘virtual’ crosslinking, enabling our materials to swell in water without dissolving (e.g., the behave as hydrogels) but without chemical crosslinking. This means that our polymers are easily processed from solution via, for example, casting, with the spontaneous self-assembly of the nano-domains eliminating the need for chemical crosslinking. They represent a truly new and versatile class of hydrogel biomaterials.
Sulfonated Multiblock Copolymer and Uses Therefor
Medical Uses of Styrene Sulfonate Polymers
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