A new polymeric silicone hydrogel for medical applications: synthesis and properties

A novel silicone hydrogel polymeric material is developed. The preparation method is based on sequential interpenetrating network synthesis. A silicone network is obtained by the interaction between two siloxane oligomers comprising hydride and vinyl functional groups. A hydrophilic network is prepared by radical copolymerization of hydrophilic monomers (N-vinyl pyrrolidone, N,N-dimethylacrylamide) and crosslinking agent (ethylene glycol dimethacrylate). In the hydrated state the developed material has high mechanical properties, transparency, hydrophilicity, oxygen and water permeability. The developed new technology affords obtaining a silicone hydrogel material with a good wettability without additional chemical or plasma surface treatment. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.