Electrically conducting hydrophilic co-polymers

1. A process of forming a cross-linked electronically active hydrophilic co-polymer comprising the steps of:

a. mixing an intrinsically electronically active material with water to form an intermediate mixture;

b. adding at least one hydrophilic monomer, at least one hydrophobic monomer, and at least one cross-linker to the intermediate mixture to form a co-monomer mixture, wherein the co-monomer mixture comprises water in an amount of 5%-50% by weight based on a total weight of the co-monomer mixture; and

c. polymerising the co-monomer mixture,

wherein, in step b, the at least one hydrophilic monomer and the at least one hydrophobic monomer are added to the intermediate mixture prior to the addition of the cross-linker, and wherein, in step b, the at least one hydrophilic monomer is added to the intermediate mixture prior to the addition of the at least one hydrophobic monomer.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the intrinsically electronically active material is selected from polyethylenedioxythiophene:polystyrene sulphonate, polypyrrole, polyaniline, polyacetylene, and a combination thereof.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one hydrophilic monomer is selected from methacrylic acid, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, ethyl acrylate, vinyl pyrrolidone, propenoic acid methyl ester, monomethacryloyloxyethyl phthalate, ammonium sulphatoethyl methacrylate, poly vinyl alcohol or a combination thereof.

4. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one hydrophilic monomer is selected from vinyl pyrrolidone and hydroxyethyl methacrylate, and a combination thereof.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one hydrophobic monomer is selected from methyl methacrylate, allyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile, methacryloxypropyltris(trimethylsiloxy)silane, 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate, and a combination thereof.

6. The process according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one hydrophobic monomer is selected from acrylonitrile and methyl methacrylate, and a combination thereof.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one cross-linker is allyl methacrylate or ethylene glycol dimethacrylate.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the polymerisation step is carried out by thermal, UV or gamma radiation; and/or

wherein the co-monomer mixture further comprises a polymerisation initiator.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the at least one hydrophilic monomer to the at least one hydrophobic monomer is from 20:1 to 1:1 in the co-monomer mixture.

10. The process according to claim 9 , wherein the ratio of the at least one hydrophilic monomer to the at least one hydrophobic monomer is from 20:1 to 5:1 in the co-monomer mixture.

11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the at least one hydrophilic monomer and the at least one hydrophobic monomer:the intrinsically electronically active material is from 30:1 to 2:1 in the co-monomer mixture.

12. The process according to claim 11 , wherein the ratio of the at least one hydrophilic monomer and the at least one hydrophobic monomer:the intrinsically electronically active material is from 6:1 to 3:1 in the co-monomer mixture.

13. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the water to the intrinsically electronically active material is from 1:1 to 10:1 in the co-monomer mixture.

14. The process according to claim 13 , wherein the ratio of the water to the intrinsically electronically active material is from 1:1 to 3:1 in the co-monomer mixture.

15. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising a step of hydrating the co-polymer after polymerisation, wherein the co-polymer is stored for at least 7 days following hydration, and wherein the co-polymer is hydrated such that the hydrated co-polymer comprises at least 10 wt % water, based on the total weight of the hydrated co-polymer.