ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the development of a hydrophilic polymer surface exhibiting excellent slipperiness properties when in contact with water or physiological fluid, due to the reaction of epoxy containing poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) with the polyarnino compound formed on the surface of the substrate.
Epoxy containing poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) was obtained by the copolymerization of vinyl pyrrolidone as a hydrophilic component, glycidyl acrylate as a binding component to the substrate, and vinyl acetate to preserve the strength of the coating layer.
The slipperiness of the surface depends on the molecular weight of the coated hydrophilic copolymer. It was demonstrated that a molecular weight of 400,000 or more is essential to achieve excellent slipperiness.
Polyurethane catheters, both with and without the hydrophilic slippery coating, were evaluated for slipperiness and blood compatibility using rabbit models. In the case of coated catheters, no lesions of the intima of the blood vessels and no thrombus formation on the surface of the catheter were observed. However, the non-coated catheters injured the intima of the blood vessels, and severe thrombus formation was found on their surfaces.
