Process for producing shaped articles from three-dimensional hydrophilic high polymers

Claim 1

A METHOD OF PREPARING A SPARINGLY CROSS-LINKED POLYMERIC HYDROGEL STRUCTURE, COMPRISING MIXING IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION A WATER SOLUBLE MONOESTER OF AN OLEFIN ACID SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ACRYLIC ACID AND METHACRYLIC ACID AND OF A BIFUNCTIONAL ALCOHOL HAVING AN ESTERIFIABLE HYDROXYL GROUP AND AT LEAST ONE ADDITIONAL HYDROPHILIC FUNCTIONAL GROUP, WITH A WATER-SOLUBLE DIESTER OF AN OLEFINIC ACID SELECTED FROM SAID GROUP AND OF AN ALCOHOL HAVING AT LEAST TWO ESTERIFIABLE HYDROXYL GROUPS, SAID DIESTER BEING PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED ONE MOL PERCENT OF SAID MONOESTER, IMMERSING AN ELONGATED INSERT IN THE AQUEOUS MIXTURE SO PRODUCED, CAUSING SAID MIXTURE TO REACT SO AS TO FORM A SHAPE-RETAINING BODY OF A CROSS-LINKED COPOLYMER OF SAID MONOESTER AND SAID DIESTER ABOUT SAID INSERT, SAID INSERT BEING COATED WITH A COATING OF SAID COPOLYMER PRIOR TO BEING IMMERSED IN SAID MIXTURE, AND REMOVING SAID INSERT SO AS TO FORM AN ELONGATED OPENING IN SAID BODY OF COPOLYMER.