Polymer blends with high water absorption

Claim 2

A composition comprising a miscible blend of non-crosslinked polymers comprising from about 2 to 95 parts by weight of a water-insoluble, hydrophobic polymer and, correspondingly from about 98 to 5 parts by weight of a hydrophilic polymer, said composition being transparent and capable of absorbing a sufficient quantity of water to provide a hydrated material containing at least 50% by weight water.

Claim 3

A composition according to claim 1 comprising from about 10 to 30 parts by weight hydrophobic polymer and from about 90 to 70 parts by weight hydrophilic polymer.

Claim 4

A composition according to claim 2 comprising from about 10 to 20 parts by weight of hydrophobic polymer and from about 90 to 80 parts by weight hydrophilic polymer.

Claim 5

A conposition according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said hydrophobic polymer is selected from copolymers of bisphenol A and epichlorohydrin, copolymers of disulfonyl chloride, diphenyl ether and biphenyl, copolymers of bisphenol A and dichlorodiphenylsulfone, cellulose acetate polymers, polycarbonate polymers, polyvinylidene fluoride, copolymers of hexafluoropropene and vinylidene fluoride, polymethylmethacrylate, and copolymers of polyvinyl chloride and vinyl acetate.

Claim 6

A conposition according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said hydrophilic polymer is selected from polymers prepared from N-vinylpyrrolidone, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, polyvinyl methyl ether, and N-vinylacetamide.

Claim 7

A composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5 formed into a solid article.

Claim 8

An article according to claim 6 which is optically clear.

Claim 9

An article according to claim 7 which is a contact lens.

Claim 10

A process for the preparation of a miscible blend of non-crosslinked polymers comprising the steps of providing a mixture containing from about 2 to 95 parts by weight of a water-insoluble, hydrophobic polymer, from about 98 to 5 parts by weight of a monomer capable of forming a hydrophilic polymer, and up to 5% by weight of said hydrophobic polymer and said monomer of a polymerization initiator dissolving said hydrophobic polymer in said monomer, and polymerizing said mixture.

Claim 11

A process for the preparation of a miscible blend of non-crosslinked polymers comprising the steps of providing a mixture containing from about 2 to 95 parts by weight of a water-insoluble, hydrophobic polymer, from about 98 to 5 parts by weight of a monomer capable of forming a hydrophilic polymer, and up to 5% by weight of said hydrophobic polymer and said monomer of a polymerization initiator dissolving said hydrophobic polymer in said monomer, and polymerizing said mixture.

Claim 12

A process for the preparation of a miscible blend of non-crosslinked polymers comprising the steps of mixing from about 2 to 95 parts by weight of a water-insoluble, hydrophobic polymer with from about 98 to 5 parts by weight of a hydrophilic polymer, and heating said mixture to a temperature sufficient to soften said polymers and blend them together.

Claim 13

A process for the preparation of a miscible blend of non-crosslinked polymers comprising the steps of mixing from about 2 to 95 parts by weight of a water-insoluble, hydrophobic polymer with from about 98 to 5 parts by weight of a hydrophilic polymer, and heating said mixture to a temperature sufficient to soften said polymers and blend them together.

Claim 14

1 1. A process for the preparation of a miscible blend of non-crosslinked polymers comprising the steps of dissolving from about 2 to 95 parts by weight of a water-insoluble, hydrophobic polymer with from about 98 to 5 parts by weight of a hydrophilic polymer in a solvent for both, and removing said solvent from said solution.

Claim 15

1 1. A process for the preparation of a miscible blend of non-crosslinked polymers comprising the steps of dissolving from about 2 to 95 parts by weight of a water-insoluble, hydrophobic polymer with from about 98 to 5 parts by weight of a hydrophilic polymer in a solvent for both, and removing said solvent from said solution.

Claim 16

A process for thermally processing a miscible blend of polymers comprising the steps of providing a miscible blend of non-crosslinked polymers comprising from about 2 to 95 parts by weight of a water-insoluble, hydrophobic polymer and from about 98 to 5 parts by weight of a hydrophilic polymer, said composition being transparent and capable of absorbing a sufficient quantity of water to provide a hydrated material containing at least 50% by weight water, providing a mold having the desired configuration, charging said blend to said mold, and heating said blend to a temperature sufficient to cause melt flow of said blend.

Claim 17

A process for thermally processing a miscible blend of polymers comprising the steps of providing a miscible blend of non-crosslinked polymers comprising from about 2 to 95 parts by weight of a water-insoluble, hydrophobic polymer and from about 98 to 5 parts by weight of a hydrophilic polymer, said composition being transparent and capable of absorbing a sufficient quantity of water to provide a hydrated material containing at least 50% by weight water, providing a mold having the desired configuration, charging said blend to said mold, and heating said blend to a temperature sufficient to cause melt flow of said blend.

Claim 18

A hydrated material according to any one of claims 1 to 8 containing at least 50% by weight water.