UV CURABLE BIOADHESIVES - COPOLYMERS OF N-VINYL PYRROLIDONE

A series of UV curable bioadhesives was prepared from copolymers of N- vinyl pyrrolidone with four different comonomers: 2-acrylamido methyl 1-propane sulfonic acid, vinyl succinimide, glycidyl acrylate, and 2-i socyanatoethyl methacrylate. The developed bioadhesives demonstrated a fast UV-induced setting with a set time of about 3 min, Bond strength between the bioadhesive and porcine intestine specimen was determined by the peel test. These bioadhesives can provide improved adhesion va lues up to 4.6 N/m of 180 degrees peel strength compared to five diffe rent commercial bioadhesives (values ranging from 0.52 to 3.04 N/m), I n addition, the fully hydrated UV curable bioadhesives have shown a hi gh water uptake ranging from 25 to 350 wt% and equilibrium water conte nt ranging from 20 to 100 wt%, Because N-vinyl pyrrolidone is a monome r all these copolymers are expected to retain good biocompatibility, O btained promising results of peel strength and water uptake clearly su ggest that the developed bioadhesives have a strong potential for many medical applications such as single-layered hydrogel wound dressings and tissue adhesives. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.