Development of Environmentally Friendly Cellulose Derivative-Based Hydrogels for Contact Lenses Using a Radiation Crosslinking Technique

Although they have potential environmental pollution issues, soft contact lenses are value-added biodevices for medical use. Thus, it is important to reconsider starting materials and production methods achieve sustainable development. In this study, hydrogels composed of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) as an environmentally friendly material were produced by radiation investigated use in disposable lenses. HPC-based with good mechanical properties transparency prepared irradiation electron beams on highly concentrated aqueous solutions containing HPC, polyethylene glycol #1000 dimethacrylate (23G), 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). The addition 23G HPC resulted increase the gel fraction well improved properties, such tensile strength elongation at break. break HPC/HEMA/23G hydrogel obtained further HEMA HPC/23G exhibited 0.2 MPa 124%, which approximately 2.0 1.8 times larger than these pure hydrogel, respectively. evaluation demonstrated its a properties.