Patent ID: 9574057
Date: 2017-02-21
CPC Classifications: A61B,C07K,C08J,G01N

Claim:
1. A method for adhering a hydrogel matrix to a molded polymer substrate, the method comprising: (a) molding a mixture of a polymer comprising one or more polymer chains and an oxidizer to form a molded polymer substrate, wherein the oxidizer breaks the one or more polymer chains, and wherein the one or more polymer chains can recombine while retaining one or more putative radicals in the molded polymer substrate; (b) providing a hydrogel matrix comprising a hydrogel, a component comprising one or more acrylate groups or another functional group that can form one or more radicals upon polymerization in the molded polymer substrate, and a photoinitiator; (c) combining the molded polymer substrate and the hydrogel matrix; and (d) curing the combined molded polymer substrate and hydrogel matrix for a period of time to covalently bind the hydrogel matrix to the molded polymer substrate, thereby adhering the hydrogel matrix to the molded polymer substrate.