Polyhydroxyethylmethacrylate

Polyhydroxyethylmethacrylate
Names
	IUPAC name Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)
	Other names PHEMA, poly-HEMA, Hydron
Identifiers
CAS Number	25249-16-5;
ChemSpider	None;
PubChem CID	24898472;
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID001011270 ;
Properties
Chemical formula	(C6H10O3)n
Molar mass	Variable
	Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Infobox references

Poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA) is a polymer that forms a hydrogel in water. Poly (hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) hydrogel for intraocular lens (IOL) materials was synthesized by solution polymerization using 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) as raw material, ammonium persulfate and sodium pyrosulfite (APS/SMBS) as catalyst, and triethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) as cross-linking additive. It was invented by Drahoslav Lim and Otto Wichterle for biological use.^[1] Together they succeeded in preparing a cross-linking gel which absorbed up to 40% of water, exhibited suitable mechanical properties and was transparent. They patented this material in 1953.

^ Wichterle, O.; Lím, D. (1960). "Hydrophilic Gels for Biological Use". Nature. 185 (4706): 117–8. Bibcode:1960Natur.185..117W. doi:10.1038/185117a0. S2CID 4211987.

[1] Wichterle, O.; Lím, D. (1960). "Hydrophilic Gels for Biological Use". Nature. 185 (4706): 117–8. Bibcode:1960Natur.185..117W. doi:10.1038/185117a0. S2CID 4211987.

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