Hydrogel nanocomposites: a potential UV/blue light filtering material for ophthalmic lenses.
Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate) (poly(HEMA-co-MMA)) and ZnS hydrogel nanocomposites were prepared and characterized. The chemical composition of the inorganic nanoparticles was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, and the homogeneity of their distribution within the hydrogel was assessed by transmission electron microscopy. The influence of the content of ZnS nanoparticles on the optical performances of the nanocomposites was investigated by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The ability of the hydrogel nanocomposites to filter the hazardous UV light and part of the blue light was reported, which makes them valuable candidates for ophthalmic lens application. In contrast to the optical properties, the thermo-mechanical properties of neat poly(HEMA-co-MMA) hydrogels were found to be largely independent of filling by ZnS nanoparticles (≤2 mg/ml co-monomer mixture). Finally, in vitro cell adhesion test with lens epithelial cells (LECs), extracted from porcine lens crystalline capsule, showed that ZnS had no deleterious effect on the biocompatibility of neat hydrogels, at least at low content.
Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules (CERM), University of Liege, B6 Sart-Tilman, B-4000 Liege, Belgium.
Dimitriya
D
Bozukova
Christophe
C
Pagnoulle
Marie-Claire
MC
De Pauw-Gillet
Bénédicte
B
Vertruyen
Robert
R
Jérôme
Christine
C
Jérôme
D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D006801:Humans; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000737:chemistry*; D007903:Lens Capsule, Crystalline / Q000166:cytology; D008768:Methylmethacrylates / Q000737:chemistry*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry*; D011102:Polyhydroxyethyl Methacrylate / Q000737:chemistry*; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D013440:Sulfides / Q000737:chemistry*; D013552:Swine; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000528:radiation effects; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D008768:Methylmethacrylates; D013440:Sulfides; D017967:Zinc Compounds; D011102:Polyhydroxyethyl Methacrylate; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; C040206:HTR composite; C031238:zinc sulfide