Super-hydrophilic silicone hydrogels composed of interpenetrating polymer networks with phospholipid polymer

Abstract

Novel silicone hydrogel materials with extremely hydrophilic surfaces were synthesized from two polymer components. Silicone networks prepared from bis(trimethylsilyloxy)methylsilyl propylglycerol methacrylate (SiMA) and hydrophilic networks prepared by the polymerization of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) in poly(SiMA) networks were used to construct an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) structure. Random copolymerization of SiMA and MPC was also carried out to obtain control hydrogel samples. The obtained IPN hydrogel materials had highly hydrophilic surfaces in addition to good transparency, mechanical properties. Further, they showed good oxygen permeability because of the presence of the SiMA unit and good resistance to protein adsorption because of the presence of the MPC unit. Results of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis and microscopic FT-IR spectroscopy revealed that the superhydrophilicity of the IPN hydrogels was due to the surface concentration of the MPC units. The IPN hydrogel was confirmed to be suitable for the fabrication of soft contact lenses.