A non-fouling (protein-resistant) polymer surface is achieved by the covalent immobilization of polyethylene oxide (PEO) surfactants using an inert gas discharge treatment. Treated surfaces have been characterized using electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA), static secondary ion mass spectrometry (SSIMS), water contact angle measurement, fibrinogen adsorption, and platelet adhesion. This paper is intended to review our recent work in using this simple surface modification process to obtain wettable polymer surfaces in general, and non-fouling biomaterial surfaces in particular.

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Organophosphorous hydrolase (OPH) was physically and covalently immobilized within photosensitive polyethylene glycol (PEG)‐based hydrogels. The hydroxyl ends of branched polyethylene glycol (b‐PEG, four arms, MW = 20,000) were modified with cinnamylidene acetate groups to give water‐soluble, photosensitive PEG macromers (b‐PEG‐CA). The b‐PEG‐CA macromers underwent photocrosslinking reaction and formed gels upon UV irradiation (>300 nm) in the presence of erythrosin B. Native OPH was pegylated with cinnamylidene‐terminated PEG chains (MW = 3400) to be covalently linked with the b‐PEG‐CA macromers during photogelation. The effect of pegylation on the stability of the enzyme was determined. Furthermore, the effect of enzyme concentration, wavelength of irradiation, and photosensitizer on the stability of the entrapped enzyme was also investigated. The pegylated OPH was more stable than the native enzyme, and the OPH‐containing gels exhibited superior stability than the soluble enzyme preparations. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 65: 579–588, 1999.

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