| abstract |
A chemical linking agent formed of a di- or higher functional photoactivatable compound and providing at least one group that is charged under the conditions of use in order to provide improved water solubility. The linking agent further provides two or more photoactivatable groups in order to allow the agent to be used as a cross-linking agent in aqueous systems. The charged group can be provided by a radical that includes one or more salts of organic acids, onium compounds, or protonated amines (and optionally one or more additional photoreactive group), and the photoreactive groups can be provided by two or more radicals that include an aryl ketone. |