Abstract: The present invention comprises a water vapor permeable, pressure-sensitive adhesive composition useful for surgical and medical bandage applications, and incorporating modified copolymers of butyl acrylate containing N-vinyl 2-pyrrolidone and acrylic acid. The present pressure-sensitive adhesive composition results in enhanced water vapor transmission rates, which may lead to a concomittant reduction in skin lesions that were previously attendant upon the accumulation of water under conventional inadequately permeable pressure-sensitive adhesive-coated surgical and medical dressings.

Abstract: Polymer blends capable of forming hydrogels upon immersion in water are bonded by heat and pressure alone to water-resistant polymer compositions compatible with vinyl lactam polymers to form laminates. Bonding can also be achieved by casting on the surface of the polymer composition a solution of the blend in a solvent inert to the polymer composition and evaporating the solvent. The blends are optically clear blends of vinyl lactam polymers or copolymers with water insoluble copolymers of a hydrophobic water-insoluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer, an ethylenically unsaturated monomer containing an acid group, and optionally a hydrophilic ethylenically unsaturated monomer free from acidic groups.

Abstract: An optically clear blend of (1) a water-soluble polymer of a vinyl lactam having the structure ##STR1## in which X represents an alkylene bridge having three to five carbon atoms or a copolymer thereof with 1 to 80 mole percent of a copolymerizable monomer containing a polymerizable ethylenic unsaturation; and (2) a tacky water-insoluble copolymer of (A) an ester or a mixture of esters having the structure ##STR2## in which R' represents hydrogen or methyl and R.sub.1 represents alkyl having from 1 to 14 carbon atoms and (B) from 1 to 12% by weight, based on the copolymer, of an ethylenic monomer containing an acid group, the vinyl lactam polymer or copolymer being present in an amount from 1 to 30% by weight of the blend and having a glass transition temperature from 20.degree. to 150.degree. C., and the tacky copolymer having a glass transition temperature below 0.degree. C. and being present in an amount from 70 to 99% by weight of the blend and having a viscosity less than 50,000 cp at 350.degree. F.

Abstract: Polymer blends capable of forming hydrogels upon immersion in water are bonded by heat and pressure alone to water-resistant polymer compositions compatible with vinyl lactam polymers to form laminates. Bonding can also be achieved by casting on the surface of the polymer composition a solution of the blend in a solvent inert to the polymer composition and evaporating the solvent. The blends are optically clear blends of vinyl lactam polymers or copolymers with water insoluble copolymers of a hydrophobic water-insoluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer, an ethylenically unsaturated monomer containing an acid group, and optionally a hydrophilic ethylenically unsaturated monomer free from acidic groups.

Abstract: An optically clear blend of (1) a water-soluble polymer of a vinyl lactam having the structure ##STR1## in which X represents an alkylene bridge having three to five carbon atoms or a copolymer thereof with 1 to 80 mole percent of a copolymerizable monomer containing a polymerizable ethylenic unsaturation; and (2) a tacky water-insoluble copolymer of (A) an ester or a mixture of esters having the structure ##STR2## in which R' represents hydrogen or methyl and R.sub.1 represents alkyl having from 1 to 14 carbon atoms and (B) from 1 to 12% by weight, based on the copolymer, of an ethylenic monomer containing an acid group, the vinyl lactam polymer or copolymer being present in an amount from 1 to 30% by weight of the blend and having a glass transition temperature from 20.degree. to 150.degree. C., and the tacky copolymer having a glass transition temperature below 0.degree. C. and being present in an amount from 70 to 99% by weight of the blend and having a viscosity less than 50,000 cp at 350.degree. F.

Abstract: A non-tacky thermoplastic elastomeric composition which is an optically clear blend of (A) a copolymer of ethyl or butyl acrylate or mixtures thereof with from 2 to 10% by weight of a copolymerizable ethylenic monomer containing an acid group and (B) from 2 to 15%, by weight of the blend, of a water-soluble homopolymer of a vinyl lactam having the structure ##STR1## in which X represents an alkylene bridge having three to five carbon atoms, or from 2 to 30%, by weight of the blend, of a copolymer of said lactam with from 1 to 80 mole percent of a copolymerizable monomer containing a polymerizable ethylenic unsaturation, the vinyl lactam polymer or copolymer having a glass transistion temperature from 20.degree. to 250.degree. C.

Abstract: A composition capable of absorbing more than 45% of its weight of water without dissolution at room temperature to form a hydrogel is made by blending (1) 40 to 98% by weight of water-soluble polymer of a vinyl lactam having the structure ##STR1## in which X represents an alkylene bridge having three to five carbon atoms or a copolymer thereof with 1 to 90 mole percent of a copolymerizable monomer containing a polymerizable ethylenic unsaturation; and (2) 2 to 60% by weight of a water-insoluble copolymer formed of 50% to 90% by weight based on the total copolymer of a hydrophobic water-insoluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer, 2 to 12% by weight of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer containing an acid group, and 0 to 50% by weight of a hydrophilic ethylenically unsaturated monomer free from acidic groups.