Lubricious hydrophilic coating, resistant to wet abrasion

A lubricious hydrophilic coating for an organic polymeric surface which is substantially more slippery when wet than when dry, and resistant to removal by wet abrasion comprising a single layer of a hydrophilic polymer selected from the group consisting of polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinylpyrrolidone polyvinyl acetate copolymer, and a mixture thereof, and a water-insoluble stabilizing polymer selected from the group consisting of a cellulose ester, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose acetate propionate, cellulose nitrate, ethyl cellulose, and hydroxyethylcellulose, said hydrophilic polymer coating having an exposed outer surface and an interfacing surface with said polymer surface, said hydrophilic coating having a high degree of cross-linking or intermolecular mingling between said hydrophilic polymer and said polymer surface at said interfacing surface relative to said outer surface.

A lubricious hydrophilic coating, comprising a single layer of

• a lubricious hydrophilic polymer comprising polyvinylpyrrolidone, capable of penetrating a polymer surface of a substrate comprising polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride via use of a cosolvent for both polyvinylpyrrolidone and polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride, said hydrophilic polymer having an exposed outer surface and an interfacing surface with said polymer surface, said hydrophilic coating having a high degree of cross-linking or intermolecular mingling between the polyvinylpyrrolidone and polyurethane or polyvinyl chloride at said interfacing surface relative to said outer surface, and
• a water-insoluble stabilizing polymer selected from the group consisting of a cellulose ester, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose acetate propionate, cellulose nitrate, ethyl cellulose, and hydroxyethylcellulose,
• said hydrophilic coating being substantially more slippery when wet than when dry, and resistant to removal by wet abrasion, the degree of lubricity and resistance to wet removal being controlled in part by the particular cosolvent used and the amount and type of stabilizing polymer used.