Process for coating of articles

A process of providing an antibacterial coating to a surface of an article, said process including the steps of:

• (i) applying a layer of an antibacterial precursor layer to the surface of an article to which an antibacterial coating is to be applied, wherein said antibacterial precursor layer is a precursor from which the coating is to be formed;
• and
• (ii) directing a neutral molecular hydrogen flux from a neutral molecular hydrogen flux emission source towards the surface of the article;
• wherein upon impact of neutral hydrogen molecules on molecules at or on the surface of an article, the bonds of the antibacterial precursor layer are selectively ruptured, and wherein the selectively ruptured bonds cross-link with themselves or with other chemical moieties at said surface or a combination thereof, resulting an antibacterial coating being formed on the surface of the article,
• wherein the process further includes the step of applying at least a first layer precursor to the surface of the article, wherein the first layer precursor is applied to the surface of the article prior to application of the antibacterial layer precursor to the article and disposed between the surface of the article and the antibacterial layer precursor, and
• wherein the first layer precursor is formed from 11-Mercaptoundecanoic acid, and wherein the first layer precursor is applied to the surface of the article by providing a first layer precursor solution of 11-Mercaptoundecanoic acid in solution, and whereby the article is dipped in the 11-Mercaptoundecanoic acid solution for a predetermined amount of time and removed wherein upon drying the first layer precursor is formed on the article.