The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 25, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 03, 1996
H Ralph Rawls, San Antonio, TX (US);
Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
The present invention involves a surface having a coating consisting essentially of a polymer that is soluble in or hydrolyzable by water. When the surface is immersed in an aqueous medium, the coating slowly dissipates such that biological fouling of the surface is prevented or inhibited. Substances adhering to the surface of the slowly dissipating polymer are removed as the polymer dissipates. This dissipation may result from slow hydrolysis of the polymer, particularly if the polymer is a polyester or polyanhydride. Preferred polyesters include polylactide and polyglycolide. Polymers soluble in water include polyvinyl alcohol and polyethylene glycol. Such solubility must be sufficiently slow such that the surfaces may be coated and the water-soluble polymer remains for a long period of time and is slowly dissipated into solution. Such dissipation from the surface removes adherent substances. The adherent substances may be bacteria, fungi, biomolecules or multicellular organisms. The surfaces treated include polyvinylchloride, other plastics, elastomers, metals or ceramics.