| abstract |
Copolymers (I) of 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) or 2-hydroxethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with acrylamido carboxylic acid derivs. of formula CH2=CH-CO-NH-Q-COOX (II), including crosslinked copolymers, are new, (where X = alkali metal, NH4 or 1-3C alkyl; Q = opt. substd. 1-18C alkylene). (II) is specifically Na 4-acrylamidobutyrate (AMB-Na), Na 10-acrylamido-undecanoate (AMU-Na) or Na 2-acrylamido-2-hydroxyacetate (AHA-Na). USE/ADVANTAGE - (I) form hydrolgels that are useful as controlled-release pharmaceutical carriers, enzyme-immobilising carriers or membranes. (I) have high water absorption capacities, e.g. 63-99% which may be increased by increasing the proportion of (II). |