TUNABLE SURFACE WETTABILITY OF FIBER BASED MATERIALS

摘要

A method for making a permanently wettable material is disclosed. The method includes selecting a plurality of non-polar polymer fibers (12) wherein each fiber has a surface (16), depositing a hydrophilic polymer mixture (14) on the non-polar polymer fiber surface to form a shell. The hydrophilic polymer mixture (14) includes a cross-linkable and graftable epoxy-containing polymer, such as, poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene glycol methacrylate) copolymer (PGMA-co-POEGMA), a high weight average molecular weight polyethylene glycol (PEG), and a surfactant. A permanently wettable material is also disclosed that includes a non-polar polymer-based web (10) having fibers (12) with a surface (16). A hydrophilic polymer mixture (14) forms a shell on the non-polar polymer fiber surface (16). The hydrophilic polymer mixture (14) includes a poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene glycol methacrylate) copolymer (PGMA-co-POEGMA), a high weight average molecular weight polyethylene glycol (PEG), and a surfactant.