Stable hydrophilic surface of polycarbonate

In this report we present a simple method for preparation of stable hydrophilic surface modification of polycarbonate. The method uses branched polyethyleneimine (BPEI) and poly(ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride) (PEMA) as the reagents for the first steps of modification, followed by hydrolysis of maleic anhydride groups on the polymer surface. The method yields the polymer surface rich in carboxylic acid groups and may thus be also useful for further surface modification protocols (e.g. immobilization of enzymes on the surface of the polymer). The method has been designed particularly for use in microfluidics applications. The surfaces obtained via the method are extremely durable and can be stored without any special conditions for at least one year. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.