Structures and Physicochemical Properties of High Water Content Tough Hydrogels Prepared by Blending of Poly(vinyl alcohol) with Poly(styrenesulfonic acid) Sodium Salt

Abstract

Blend gel membranes, which have high modulus, high transparency and oxygen permeability, were prepared by blending of poly(vinyl alcohol) with poly(styrene sulfonic acid) sodium salt below 17 wt% of total polymer concentration in an autoclave at elevated temperature and pressure. Every blend gel membrane has a three dimensional honey-comb structure made by bundles or tapes whose size are about 0.1—0.2 μm. The high modulus is probably due to physically crosslinked structures formed by an interpolymer complex in addition to poly(vinyl alcohol) crystallites. The high transparency at low poly(styrene sulfonic acid) sodium salt content is caused by the small size of the bundles or tapes and high water content. Permeability coefficients of blend gel membranes are similar to that of a commercial soft contact lens.