| abstract |
The invention is directed to a composite material, especially a biomedical device, e.g. an ophthalmic device, preferably a contact lens, with at least one wettable surface capable of holding a continous layer of aqueous fluid thereon which composite material comprises a bulk material and a hydrophilic coating characterized in that the hydrophilic coating consists of a carbohydrate covalently attached by a hydrolytically stable bond to amino groups at the surface of the bulk material, either directly or via functional groups of an oligofunctional compound, said oligofunctional compound in turn having functional groups being capable of reacting with said amino groups at the surface of the bulk material and with the carbohydrate, wherein said amino groups are either inherently (a priori) present in the bulk material or wherein said amino groups have been attached to the surface of the bulk material by a plasma surface preparation, as well as to a process of manufacture of such a composite material. |