Abstract
A Series of hydrophilic-hydrophobic copolymeric surfaces of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and various alkyl methacrylate (RMA) have been prepared by in-situ solution copolymerization using a redox radical initiator. Contact angles of various probing fluids on the polymeric surfaces were determined in air (hydrophobic environment) and under water (hydrophilic environment). From contact angle data, the dispersive interaction contribution (${\gamma}^d_s$) and the polar contribution (${\gamma}^p_s$) to the total surface free energy (${\gamma}^d_s$) and interfacial energetic quantities (e.g., water-polymer, liquid-polymer interface, etc.) were estimated by surface and interface physicochemical theory. From the comparison of surface energetic components between hydrophobic and hydrophilic media, it is found that surface and interface energetic components of polymeric surface as a representative low-energy surface are highly dependent on environmental fluids. Also, from the correlation between interfacial energetic results and surface energetic criterion of biocompatibility, we found that HEMA/BMA, HEMA/HMA copolymer systems are in the region of biocompatibility.