Cure kinetic study of methacrylate-POSS copolymers for ocular lens

The physical, mechanical and biological properties of multicomponent acrylate-based hard lenses are directly influenced by degree of conversion achieved during copolymerization. In this research, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) acrylate is introduced into the polymer backbone in combination with hydroxyethyl methacrylate, dimethyl itaconate, methyl methacrylate, 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate in free-radical bulk polymerization. Kinetics of curing process was investigated by two techniques: differential scanning calorimetry and FTIR spectroscopy. Reaction kinetics in free-radical bulk polymerization of the system was studied by isothermal DSC performed at 65, 75, 85, and 95 °C using different quantities of initiator. Three compounds were prepared in different concentrations (0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 mol%) of 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator. Conversion rate was calculated as a function of time using data obtained from DSC measurements. The kinetic parameters of the reaction such as reaction constants, reaction orders and activation energies were obtained from the isothermal DSC data according to the autocatalytic model developed by Kamal and Sourour. The results showed that the experimental values were in good agreement with theoretically estimated values and our results may suggest that the polymerization reaction of this system is well described by Kamal's model. Cytotoxicity results, performed on extracts 28 days after PBS incubation, showed no toxicity of the materials extracted from the lenses indicating that they can be considered as safe materials in ocular lens applications. The viability and proliferation of L929 fibroblast cells in extracting media were followed by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and they may have a great potential as ideal supporting lens in people who suffer from keratoconus disease.