Articles having a polymeric shell and method for preparing same

A method for the preparation of a hydrophilic, polymeric shell about an article having a complex geometric configuration comprising:

• (a) applying a tactic, hydrophobic, polymeric polyvinyl alcohol precursor to at least a portion of surfaces of the article;
• and
• (b) reacting said polymeric precursor with a hydrolysis reagent in situ on a multiplicity of internal and external surfaces to form an extremely thin, self-interlocking, tactic, hydrophilic poly(vinyl alcohol) shell mechanically enveloping said surfaces while substantially retaining the complex geometric configuration.

An article having a hydrophilic, polymeric shell, comprising:

• a hydrophobic supporting structure having a complex geometric configuration and surfaces about said structure and an extremely thin, self-interlocking, tactic, hydrophilic poly(vinyl alcohol) shell mechanically enveloping said surfaces to render the article hydrophilic, without chemical crosslinking of poly(vinyl alcohol) within the shell and without chemical grafting of poly(vinyl alcohol) to said surfaces, while substantially retaining said complex geometric configuration of said supporting structure.

A method for the preparation of a hydrophilic, polymeric shell about a hydrophobic article having a complex geometric configuration comprising:

• (a) applying a tactic, hydrophobic, polymeric polyvinyl alcohol precursor to surfaces of the hydrophobic article;
• and
• (b) reacting said polymeric precursor with a hydrolysis reagent in situ on a multiplicity of internal and external surfaces to form an extremely thin, self-interlocking, tactic, hydrophilic poly(vinyl alcohol) shell mechanically enveloping said surfaces to render the hydrophobic article hydrophilic while substantially retaining the complex geometric configuration.