• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.463-469
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• 2015

Purpose: A hydrogel including alginate and $CaCl_2$ extracted from seaweed was manufactured, and their physical properties were investigated. Also, its applicability as contact lenses was examined. Methods: A film-type sample used in this experiment was manufactured using 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), which is the raw material of hydrogel contact lenses; azobisiobutyonitile (AIBN), which is an initiator and ethylenglycoldimethacrylate (EGDMA), which is a cross-linking agent. It was hydrated in a PBS solution for 24 hours, and an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) was formed in 1% and 2% alginate and 1%, 3%, and 5% $CaCl_2$ solutions for 24 hours, respectively. Results: The measurement of the physical properties of the film after the IPN showed that the moisture content was 30.89~36.89%, the refractive index was 1.431~1.441, the contact angle was $62.98{\sim}80.45^{\circ}$, and the tensile strength was 2.378~4.215 ($gf/mm^2$). Also, the physical properties hardly changed as the content of alginate increased, and the moisture content decreased as the content of $CaCl_2$ increased. As a result of the IPN, the moisture content and contact angle decreased compared to those of basic HEMA, but the tensile strength increased. The tensile strength of the second IPN was higher than that of the first IPN. In the case of $CaCl_2$, for the sample polymerized for 24 hours and the second IPN sample with 2% alginate, the contact angle decreased as the content of $CaCl_2$ increased. Conclusions: In this study, the tensile strength increased as the content of $CaCl_2$ increased, and the wettability increased as a result of IPN of alginate and $CaCl_2$. The hydrogel containing the alginate and $CaCl_2$ was confirmed possible utilization as contact lens material.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 1999.07a
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• pp.204-204
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• 1999

The plasma source ion implantation(PSII) technique which is a method using high negative voltage pulse in plasma system has the potential to change the surface properties of polymer. PSII technique increase the surface free energy by introducing polar functional groups on the surface so that it improves reactivity, hydrophilicity, adhension, biocompatability, etc. However, the mobility of polymer chains enables the modified surface layers to adapt their composition to interfacial force. This hydrophobic recovery interrupts the stability of modified surfaces to keep for the long time. In this study, poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA), poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)(PHEMA), and polu(2-hydroxypropyl methacylate)(PHPMA) for contact lens application, were modified to improve the wettability with PSII technique and were investigated the surface stabilities. Polymer film was prepared with solution casting(3 wt.% solution) and was annealed at 11$0^{\circ}C$ under vacuum oven to remove solvent completely and to eliminate physical ageing. The thickness of the film measured by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and surface profilometer was about 10${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$. Polymers were treated with different kinds of gases, pulse frequency, pulse with, pulse voltage, and treatment time. Even though PMMA, PHEMA, and PHPMA have similar repeat unit structure, the optimal treatment conditions and the tendency to hydrophobic recovery were different. PHPMA, more hydrophilic polymer than PMMA and PHEMA showd better wettability and stability after mild treatment. Surface tensions were obtained by water and diiodomethane contact angle measurements to monitor the relation between hydrophobic recovery and polymer structure. Different ion species in plasma change the polar component and dispersion component of polymer surface. For better wettability surface, the increase of polar component was a dominant factor. We also characterized modified polymer surfaces using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS), secondary ion mass spectrometry(SIMS), Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy(FT-IR), and SEM.