Silicone elastomers for reduced protein adsorption

Monofunctional poly(ethylene oxide) polymers of molecular weight (MW) 350, 750, and 2000, respectively, were modified with Si(OEt)(3) groups. These polymers underwent classic condensation cure with hydroxy-terminated silicone polymers and Si(OEt)(4) to give composites with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) rich surfaces under aqueous conditions, as shown by contact angle and XPS data. The hydrophobicity of the surfaces was considerably higher in air. The greatest PEO concentration was observed with relatively short chain polymers of MW 350. Silicone polymers bearing short chain PEO chains were also observed to be the most protein rejecting from either buffer (fibrinogen) (90%) or plasma (85%). The silicone/TES-MPEO formulation offers the advantage of a one step/one shot polymerization process that gives materials with a high protein rejection ability than can be cast as films, or molded into complex shapes. Covalently linked PEO films of a variety of chain lengths and total surface coverage can be readily accommodated. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.