Supercritical

Silicone and s upercritical CO₂

Interpenetration polymer networks (IPNs)

Diagnostics

Imaging

Silicone and supercritical CO₂

In many medical devices, silicone rubber has found its use due to desirable properties such as chemical inertness and high flexibility. One application is as drug delivery devices. However, due to silicone rubber’s hydrophobic nature the drugs that can be released are rather limited. One way to overcome this is to change the chemistry of the silicone rubber. BioModics’ approach is to produce interpenetration polymer networks (IPNs) of silicone rubber and hydro gel material in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂). The impregnated hydro gel material functions as a reservoir and transport facility inside the matrix. This method widens the range of drugs that can be released from silicone rubber to include hydrophilic drugs, such as silver ions, sulfonamides and antimicrobial peptides

This novel technique is based on the use of scCO₂ processes to enhance the material characteristics of silicone rubber by applying the unique properties of scCO₂ as a solvent to bring new compounds or agents inside the silicone rubber matrix.

The polymer incorporated in the Silicone Hydro gel IPN material absorbs water and facilitate the drug release.