Imparting antifouling properties of silicone hydrogels by grafting poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate initiated by UV light

Both hydrophilic and antifouling surfaces were prepared on silicone hydrogels with poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate (PEGMA) grafted by UV‐induced radical polymerization. The PEGMA‐grafted silicone hydrogels were characterized by graft yield and static water contact angle measurements. According to the results, the graft yield reached a maximum at 8 min of UV exposure time and 20 wt% PEGMA concentration. The modified silicone hydrogels possessed hydrophilic surfaces with the lowest water contact angle of 36°. The oxygen permeability and transparency of the PEGMA‐grafted silicone hydrogels were as high as the unmodified silicone hydrogel. The mechanical property of silicone hydrogels was maintained at about 95% of the tensile strength and elastic modulus after the PEGMA grafting. The in vitro single protein adsorption on the PEGMA‐grafted silicone hydrogels decreased by 70–80% compared to the unmodified silicone hydrogel. The PEGMA‐grafted silicone hydrogel is expected to be a novel biomaterial, which possesses excellent surface hydrophilicity, antifouling property, oxygen permeability, and mechanical property.