Surface properties of copolymers of alkyl methacrylates with methoxy (polyethylene oxide) methacrylates and their application as protein-resistant coatings.

New polymeric surfactants, copolymers of alkyl methacrylates with methoxy (polyethylene oxide) methacrylates, were synthesized and characterized by gel permeation chromatography. They were studied as possible means to produce polyethylene oxide-rich surfaces by a simple coating treatment on common hydrophobic medical materials. They were further studied as cleaners for the removal of proteins preadsorbed on hydrophobic surfaces. The surface properties of the copolymers such as the adsorption properties of the copolymer on a hydrophobic surface, low density polyethylene, the protein-resistant character of the prepared polyethylene oxide surfaces and the effectiveness of the copolymers for removal of proteins pre-adsorbed on the surface, were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and by using 125I-labelled copolymers and 125I-labelled proteins. The surface properties of the synthesized copolymers were compared with those of commercially available polyethylene oxide containing block copolymer surfactants.