Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
192 words
A method for preparing a shaped article from a cross-linked hydrogel swellable in water and in aqueous solution, consisting of the steps of (a) polymerizing acrylonitrile alone or with a minor amount of a monoethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable therewith, in concentrated nitric acid under radical polymerization conditions without adding additional chain-transfer and cross-linking agents and in the absence of any organic dispersion medium, said monomer being used in a concentration ranging from 25 to 40% by weight, based on the weight of the total mixture, at temperatures not exceeding 40° C., in a mold without stirring to produce a lyogel, (b) maintaining said lyogel in the presence of said concentrated nitric acid at a temperature of 0° to 50° until said lyogel is partially hydrolyzed to form a hydrogel having a swelling capacity of about 20 to 95% by weight of water, and (c) removing nitric acid by washing the hydrogel in an aqueous liquid selected from the group consisting of water and water containing an alkaline substance, and (d) partially converting amide groups, remaining when said lyogel is partially hydrolyzed, to carboxylic groups by treating said lyogel with dilute nitrous acid.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
192 words
A method for preparing a shaped article from a cross-linked hydrogel swellable in water and in aqueous solution, consisting of the steps of (a) polymerizing acrylonitrile alone or with a minor amount of a monoethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable therewith, in concentrated nitric acid under radical polymerization conditions without adding additional chain-transfer and cross-linking agents and in the absence of any organic dispersion medium, said monomer being used in a concentration ranging from 25 to 40% by weight, based on the weight of the total mixture, at temperatures not exceeding 40° C., in a mold without stirring to produce a lyogel, (b) maintaining said lyogel in the presence of said concentrated nitric acid at a temperature of 0° to 50° until said lyogel is partially hydrolyzed to form a hydrogel having a swelling capacity of about 20 to 95% by weight of water, and (c) removing nitric acid by washing the hydrogel in an aqueous liquid selected from the group consisting of water and water containing an alkaline substance, and (d) partially converting amide groups, remaining when said lyogel is partially hydrolyzed, to carboxylic groups by treating said lyogel with dilute nitrous acid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
Method of claim 1, wherein said amide groups are converted to carboxylic groups by treating the hydrogel first with a solution of sodium nitrite followed by acidification of said sodium nitrite solution.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
194 words
A method for preparing a shaped article from a cross-linked hydrogel swellable in water and in aqueous solution, consisting of the steps of (a) polymerizing acrylonitrile alone or with a minor amount of a monoethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable therewith, in concentrated nitric acid under radical polymerization conditions without adding additional chain-transfer and cross-linking agents and in the absence of any organic dispersion medium, said monomer being used in a concentration ranging from 25 to 40% by weight, based on the weight of the total mixture, at temperatures not exceeding 40° C., in a mold without stirring to produce a lyogel, (b) maintaining said lyogel in the presence of said concentrated nitric acid at a temperature of 0° to 50° C. until said lyogel is partially hydrolyzed to form a hydrogel having a swelling capacity of about 20 to 95% by weight of water, and (c) removing nitric acid by washing the hydrogel in an aqueous liquid selected from the group consisting of water and water containing an alkaline substance, and (d) subsequently crosslinking the hydrogel in an acid medium with trivalent cations of metals selected from the group consisting of aluminum, chromium and iron.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
194 words
A method for preparing a shaped article from a cross-linked hydrogel swellable in water and in aqueous solution, consisting of the steps of (a) polymerizing acrylonitrile alone or with a minor amount of a monoethylenically unsaturated monomer copolymerizable therewith, in concentrated nitric acid under radical polymerization conditions without adding additional chain-transfer and cross-linking agents and in the absence of any organic dispersion medium, said monomer being used in a concentration ranging from 25 to 40% by weight, based on the weight of the total mixture, at temperatures not exceeding 40° C., in a mold without stirring to produce a lyogel, (b) maintaining said lyogel in the presence of said concentrated nitric acid at a temperature of 0° to 50° C. until said lyogel is partially hydrolyzed to form a hydrogel having a swelling capacity of about 20 to 95% by weight of water, and (c) removing nitric acid by washing the hydrogel in an aqueous liquid selected from the group consisting of water and water containing an alkaline substance, and (d) subsequently crosslinking the hydrogel in an acid medium with trivalent cations of metals selected from the group consisting of aluminum, chromium and iron.