Hydrophilizing plasma coating

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for hydrophilizing surfaces of polymer workpieces. The method has a step (a) of pretreating the workpiece surfaces in a high-frequency gas plasma which is produced on the basis of an inert gas in order to clean and activate the workpiece surfaces; a step (b) of precoating the pretreated workpiece surfaces with polyacrylic acid using a high-frequency gas plasma made of a gas mixture, said gas mixture being composed of an inert gas and a first gas made of biocompatible, polymerizable carboxy group-containing monomers; and a step (c) of subsequently coating the precoated workpiece surfaces using a second gas substantially containing acrylic acid monomers.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A biocompatible polymeric workpiece with a hydrophilic surface coating layer made of poly(meth)acrylic acid, wherein the biocompatible polymeric workpiece comprises, at least at its surface, a material which is substantially formed of a silicone, which surface is coated by a two-step process with the hydrophilic surface coating layer of poly(meth)acrylic acid. 
     
     
         21 . The biocompatible polymeric workpiece of  claim 20 , the coating layer of poly(meth)acrylic acid having an average thickness of 2-12 μm. 
     
     
         22 . The biocompatible polymeric workpiece of  claim 20 , the first step of the two steps of the process providing a lesser coating layer thickness than the second step of the two steps of the process. 
     
     
         23 . The biocompatible polymeric workpiece of  claim 20 , the coating layer of poly(meth)acrylic acid consisting of poly(acrylic acid), PAA. 
     
     
         24 . The biocompatible polymeric workpiece of  claim 20 , the coating layer of poly(meth)acrylic acid consisting of a lower, plasma-deposited layer and an upper layer deposited from the gas phase without plasma action. 
     
     
         25 . The biocompatible polymeric workpiece of  claim 24 , the lower, plasma-deposited layer having a thickness of about 5-40 nm. 
     
     
         26 . The biocompatible polymeric workpiece of  claim 24 , the coating layer of poly(meth)acrylic acid having an average thickness of 2-12 μm. 
     
     
         27 . The biocompatible polymeric workpiece of  claim 24 , the lower, plasma-deposited layer being thinner than the upper layer deposited from the gas phase without plasma action. 
     
     
         28 . The biocompatible polymeric workpiece of  claim 24 , the coating layer of poly(meth)acrylic acid consisting of poly(acrylic acid), PAA. 
     
     
         29 . The biocompatible polymeric workpiece of  claim 20 , wherein the workpiece, except for the coating layer, consists entirely of the silicone. 
     
     
         30 . The biocompatible polymeric workpiece of  claim 29 , the coating layer of poly(meth)acrylic acid having an average thickness of 2-12 μm. 
     
     
         31 . The biocompatible polymeric workpiece of  claim 29 , the lower, plasma-deposited layer being thinner than the upper layer deposited from the gas phase without plasma action. 
     
     
         32 . The biocompatible polymeric workpiece of  claim 29 , the coating layer of poly(meth)acrylic acid consisting of poly(acrylic acid), PAA. 
     
     
         33 . The biocompatible polymeric workpiece of  claim 29 , the coating layer of poly(meth)acrylic acid consisting of a lower, plasma-deposited layer and an upper layer deposited from the gas phase without plasma action. 
     
     
         34 . The biocompatible polymeric workpiece of  claim 33 , the lower, plasma-deposited layer having a thickness of about 5-40 nm. 
     
     
         35 . The biocompatible polymeric workpiece of  claim 33 , the coating layer of poly(meth)acrylic acid having an average thickness of 2-12 μm. 
     
     
         36 . The biocompatible polymeric workpiece of  claim 33 , the lower, plasma-deposited layer being thinner than the upper layer deposited from the gas phase without plasma action. 
     
     
         37 . The biocompatible polymeric workpiece of  claim 33 , the coating layer of poly(meth)acrylic acid consisting of poly(acrylic acid), PAA.