| abstract |
Articles having a complex geometric configuration have hydrophilicity imparted to at least a portion of surfaces of the articles while substantially retaining the complex geometric configuration. The hydrophilicity is imparted by an extremely thin, self-interlocking shell of tactic, hydrophilic poly(vinyl alcohol) enveloping the surfaces. A tactic poly(vinyl alcohol) precursor applied to surfaces of the supporting structure is reacted in situ on the surfaces with a hydrolysis reagent to prepare the tactic, hydrophilic poly(vinyl alcohol) shell. The article having the hydrophilic shell is highly resistant to solvent washout. Hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity can be reversibly provided on regio-specific surfaces of the article. Articles in the form of membranes useful as filters, residue barriers for electroplating devices, separators for electrochemical cells, and drug delivery device components are also described. Membranes to form permanent and undistorted images, and methods of preparing such images from image-forming substances in receptive media are also provided. Hydrophilic porous supporting structures loaded with an enzyme system which catalyzes a reaction of a substrate, oxygen, and if necessary, water or moisture to consume oxygen are also described for oxygen scavenging in packages containing oxygen sensitive products. |