Silicone rubber-hydrogel composites as polymeric biomaterials. VI. Transport properties in the water-swollen state.

Permeation of inorganic salts in water-swollen silicone rubber-hydrogel composites consisting of a silicone rubber matrix and lightly cross-linked particles of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid), poly(methacrylic acid), polyacrylamide or poly(acrylamide-co-methacrylic acid) hydrogels was investigated. The results, together with earlier data on permeation of non-ionic low-molecular-weight substances through the composite materials, were evaluated in terms of the free-volume diffusion theory. It was found that the materials with water content exceeding a certain limit are highly permeable to the salts, and that, as regards permeation properties, they behave as homogeneous water-swollen hydrogels. The dependence of electrical conductivity of the water-swollen composites on the hydrogel phase content was measured, and the results are discussed in relation to other transport properties and to the structure of the materials.