Fabrication and characteristics of polyHEMA artificial skin with improved tensile properties

• Published in: Journal of membrane science Vol. 146; no. 1; pp. 83 - 93
• Main Authors: Young, Chung-Daw, Wu, Jing-Ran, Tsou, Tai-Li
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 22.07.1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: Application fields; Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Medical sciences; polyHEMA; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Synthetic membrane; Technology of polymers; Technology. Biomaterials. Equipments; Tensile strength; polyHEMA; Synthetic membrane; Tensile strength; Artificial skin; Use; Mechanical properties; Tensile property; Experimental study; Property processing relationship; Colloidal gel; Hydroxyethyl methacrylate polymer; Wettability; Free radical polymerization; Preparation; Surface properties; Membrane; Biomaterial; Porosity; Biomedical engineering
• ISSN: 0376-7388; 1873-3123
• DOI: 10.1016/S0376-7388(98)00097-0

PolyHEMA-based hydrogel synthesized by the UV-radiation induced polymerization technique is used to prepare the strength-proved artificial skin in order to improve the handling procedure for curing the burned wound. The tensile strength of the artificial skin membrane is measured following the ASTM standard. The strength decreases with increasing amount of the initial water added to the mixture of HEMA (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) cross linker and benzoin isobutyl ether (BIE) initiator. The maximum strength of the artificial skin membrane reaches 9 kg/cm 2, as the hydrogel contains equilibrium water around 30 wt%. The artificial skin so fabricated presents several additional characteristics including good wettability, complete transparency and dimensional change during water absorption and evaporation.