IMPROVED CATALYTIC POLYMERIZATION ACCELERATOR SYSTEMS Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to bonding materials for use in artificial nails. Morc particularly, this invention relates to safe catalysts for cunng bonding materials in artificial nailR Background of the Invention In the past, polymers for producing artificial nails have been created which promote fast and strong hardening of the artificial nails when they are applied to the nail bed. Typically, catalysts, initiators and accelerators are used in either chemical polymerization systems or photopolymerization systems to promote fast and strong hardening. Previously, organic peroxides have been used to obtain catalytic action in artificial polymers. For example, benzoylperoxide and toluidine in about 0.25% to 1.0% by weight in the polymer is an effective catalyst. However, certain jurisdictions do not allow the use of benzoylperoxide and toluidine and so it is desircd to obtain alternatives to such a catalyst in artificial nails. See, for example. U. S. Patent Nos. and 5,098,696, the teachings of which are specifically incorporated herein by reference.

In the dental art, tooth surface treating agents and hardening agents are similarly employed to obtain favorable results for artificial teeth, dentures, and other materials. One highly efficient system for curing dental polymers employs barbituric acids and derivatives thereof as photo and chemical catalysts for dental polymers. Barbituric acid derivatives are expressed by the following general formula: (where RI, K2 and R3 may be the same or different and each may represent an aliphatic, aromatic, alicyclic, or heterocyclic residue or hydrogeu atom which may have a substituent, such as a halogen <BR> <BR> atom, alkyl group, aloxy group, aryl group, or cyclohe. ryl). SpeciScally, the following non-limiting list of barbituric acid derivatives is applicable: barbituric acid, 1,3-dimethylbarbituric acids 1.3- diphenylbarbintric acid, 1,5- dimethylbarbituric acid, 5-butylbarbituric acid, 5-ethylbarbituric acid 5-isopropylbarbituric acid, 5-cyclohexylbarbituric acid, 1,3,5-trimethylbarbituric acid, 1,3-dimethyl- 5-ethylbarbiturie acid, 1,3-dimethyl-n-butylbarbituric acid, 1,3-dimethyl-5-isobutylbarbituric acid, 1,3-dimethyl-5-tert-butylbarbituric acid, 1, 3-dimethyl-5-cyclopentylbarbituric acid, 1,3-dimethyl-5- cyclohexylbarbituric acid, 1, 3-dimethyl-5-phenylbarbituric acid, 1-cyclohexyl-5-ethylbarbituric acid, I-benzyl-5-phenylbarbituric acid, and thiobarbinßric acids; and salts thereof. These compounds are taught in U. S. Patent No. 5,707,611, the teachings of which are spocifically incorporated herein by reference. The use of barbituric acids in dental applications is also described in U. S. Patents 5,663,214; 4,906,446; and 4,115, 346, the teachings of which are specifically incorporated herein by reference.

It would be desirable to employ catalyst systems which do not display phannacological activity in making artificial fingernails. This has not heretofore been achieved in the art.

Summary of the Invention The aforementioned long-felt needs are met and problems solved by artificial human nail structures provided in accordance with the present invention. The structures preferably comprise polymerized alkyl methacrylate and hydroxyalkyl methacrylate, wherein polymerization of the structure is accomplished by a catalyst of barbituric acid. The structures and compositions of the present invention produce hard, strong and flexible artificial nails without the dangers of pharmacological activity displayed by prior an catalysts.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments As described in the aforementioned U. S. Patent Nos. and 5.098,696 artificial nail structures and compositions for making artificial nail structures are generally comprised of a two- part system. The system consists of a liquid portion or binder, and a powder portion or polymeric powder. The liquid binder consists of a monomeric acrylate or methacrylate ester, and a di-. tri-, or multifunctional acrylate or methacrylate ester, and a-tertiary amine accelerator. The powder portion generally comprise a polymeric methacrylate or copolymeric methacrylate and an initiator or catalyst such as a peroxide polymerization initiator, for example benzoyl peroxide.

The tertiary amine accelerator and benzoyl peroxide initialors exhibit pharmacological activity and therefore, it is desired to replace them with a non-pharmacological catalysts. In accordance with the present invention, the catalyst is barbituric acid, as described generally above.

A delivery system is also contemplated in accordance with the present invention. The delivery system preferably makes use of porous or hollow polymers that may contain the catalytic components separately. These materials can adsorb and/or absorb the catalyst components and then be blended into the methylmethacrylatelethylmethacrylate polymer. This may deliver a more stable catalytic system as well as maintaining desirable bulk appearance and workability qualities of the polymer.

Example The inventor of the present subject matter believes that the following prophetic example will produce compositions of particular utility in the artificial fingernail art.

Ethyl methacrylate 90% Ethylene glycol dimethacrylate 6.9% 1,3,5-trimethyl barbaturic acid 3.1% <BR> <BR> MEHQ 10 ppm<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> Potvmenc Powder Poly (ethyl methacrylate) 98.8% Tert-butyl porbcnzoatc 1.0% Iron chloride 0.2% It is expected that the above formulation when combined will polymerize to an artificial fingernail material.