Polymeric fibers and methods of making
Polymeric fibers and methods of making the polymeric fibers are described. The polymeric fibers are crosslinked hydrogels or dried hydrogels that are prepared from a precursor composition that contains polymerizable material having an average number of ethylenically unsaturated groups per monomer molecule greater than 1.0. The polymeric fibers can contain an optional active agent.
1. A method of making a polymeric fiber, the method comprising:
providing a precursor composition comprising:
a) at least 5 weight percent polar solvent based on a total weight of the precursor composition, wherein the polar solvent comprises water and is not reactive in the precursor composition; and
b) polymerizable material capable of free-radical polymerization and having an average number of ethylenically unsaturated groups per monomer molecule greater than 1.0, wherein the polymerizable material is miscible with the polar solvent;
forming a stream of the precursor composition; and
exposing the stream to radiation for a time sufficient to at least partially polymerize the polymerizable material and to form a first swollen polymeric fiber having an aspect ratio greater than 3:1, wherein the first swollen polymeric fiber is a hydrogel swollen with the polar solvent.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymerizable material comprises a poly(alkylene oxide (meth)acrylate) having an average number of (meth)acryloyl groups per monomer molecule equal to at least 2.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the poly(alkylene oxide (meth)acrylate) has a weight average molecular weight no greater than 2000 g/mole.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises
removing at least a portion of the polar solvent from the first swollen fiber to form a dried fiber.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the precursor composition further comprises an active agent.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the active agent comprises a bioactive agent.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the precursor composition further comprises a photoinitiator and the radiation comprises actinic radiation.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises
removing at least a portion of the polar solvent from the first swollen fiber to form a dried fiber; and
contacting the dried fiber with a sorbate for a time sufficient for the dried fiber to sorb at least a portion of the sorbate to form a second swollen polymeric fiber, wherein the sorbate comprises at least one active agent.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises drying the second swollen polymeric fiber.
10. A method of preparing an article comprising a polymeric fiber, the method comprising:
providing a precursor composition comprising
a) 5 weight percent to 85 weight percent polar solvent based on a total weight of the precursor composition, wherein the polar solvent comprises water is not reactive in the precursor composition; and
b) 15 weight percent to 95 weight percent polymerizable material based on the total weight of the precursor composition, the polymerizable material being capable of free-radical polymerization and being miscible in the polar solvent, the polymerizable material comprising a poly(alkylene oxide (meth)acrylate) having at least 2 (meth)acryloyl functionality groups and having at least 5 alkylene oxide units; and
forming a stream of the precursor composition; and
exposing the stream to radiation for a time sufficient to at least partially polymerize the polymerizable material and to form a first swollen fiber having an aspect ratio greater than 3:1, wherein the first swollen fiber is a hydrogel swollen with the polar solvent.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises
removing at least a portion of the polar solvent from the first swollen fiber to form a dried fiber.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the precursor composition comprises less than 1 weight percent anionic monomer based on the weight of the polymerizable material.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the poly(alkylene oxide (meth)acrylate) has a weight average molecular weight less than 2000 g/mole.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the precursor composition further comprises an active agent.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the active agent comprises a bioactive agent.
16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the precursor composition further comprises a photoinitiator and the radiation comprises actinic radiation.
17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises
removing at least a portion of the polar solvent from the first swollen fiber to form a dried fiber; and
contacting the dried fiber with a sorbate for a time sufficient for the dried fiber to sorb at least a portion of the sorbate to form a second swollen polymeric fiber, wherein the sorbate comprises an active agent.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the active agent comprises an ethylenically unsaturated group and a photoinitiator, the method further comprises exposing the second swollen polymeric fiber to actinic radiation.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises drying the second swollen polymeric fiber.
20. An article comprising a polymeric fiber having an aspect ratio greater than 3:1, the polymeric fiber comprising a free-radical polymerization reaction product of a precursor composition comprising
a) 5 weight percent to 85 weight percent polar solvent based on a total weight of the precursor composition, wherein the polar solvent comprises water and is not reactive in the precursor composition; and
b) 15 weight percent to 95 weight percent polymerizable material based on the total weight of the precursor composition, the polymerizable material being capable of free-radical polymerization and being miscible in the polar solvent, the polymerizable material comprising a poly(alkylene oxide (meth)acrylate) having at least 2 (meth)acryloyl groups and having at least 5 alkylene oxide units,
wherein the polymeric fiber is a hydrogel or a dried hydrogel.
21. An article comprising a polymeric fiber having an aspect ratio greater than 3:1, the polymeric fiber comprising:
a) a free-radical polymerization reaction product of a precursor composition comprising polymerizable material being capable of free-radical polymerization, the polymerizable material comprising a poly(alkylene oxide (meth)acrylate) having at least 2 (meth)acryloyl groups and having at least 5 alkylene oxide units; and
b) an active agent.
22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymerizable material comprises an alkoxylated di(meth)acrylate, alkoxylated tri(meth)acrylate, alkoxylated tetra(meth)acrylate, or alkoxylated penta(meth)acrylate.
23. The method of claim 10 , wherein the polymerizable material comprises an alkoxylated di(meth)acrylate, alkoxylated tri(meth)acrylate, alkoxylated tetra(meth)acrylate, or alkoxylated penta(meth)acrylate.
24. The article of claim 20 , wherein the polymerizable material comprises an alkoxylated di(meth)acrylate, alkoxylated tri(meth)acrylate, alkoxylated tetra(meth)acrylate, or alkoxylated penta(meth)acrylate.