| abstract |
The invention relates to a method of making an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) of at least a first polymer and a second polymer from a first and second component wherein the first component is the first polymer, or a polymerizable reactant selected from monomers or pre-polymers polymerizable to the first polymer and mixtures thereof, and the second component is a polymerizable reactant selected from monomers or pre-polymers polymerizable to the second polymer and mixtures thereof, the method comprising the steps offorming a reaction mixture of at least the first component, the second component, an initiator or catalyst and a crosslinker,effecting polymerization and crosslinking of polymerizable reactant, and recovering the IPN so obtained,wherein during the polymerization and crosslinking, a surface of the reaction mixture is maintained in contact with a third component comprising each said polymerizable reactant at a chemical potential similar to the chemical potential of the same reactant in the reaction mixture. |