Facile and efficient fabrication of a water-induced high lubricating coating on PVC

Water-induced high lubricating coatings are a class of functional coatings that exhibit moderate coefficients of friction (COF) and excellent stability under dry conditions, yet demonstrate significantly reduced COF and superior lubricity once contact with water. These coatings hold substantial application potential in interventional medical devices such as urinary catheters, intravascular catheters, and gastrointestinal catheters. However, current existing water-induced high lubricating coatings generally suffer from complex fabrication processes, high costs, poor adhesion, and insufficient stability. To address these challenges, this study developed a water-induced high lubricating coating on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) surfaces using a composite system comprising polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), pentaerythritol triacrylate (PETA), and γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (KH550). Experimental results showed that the water contact angle (WCA) of the coated PVC (WHL-PVC) decreased from 84.7° to 22.1°, while COF was significantly reduced from 0.58 to 0.015, indicating substantially enhanced lubricity. In biocompatibility tests, L929 cells co-cultured for 24 h with coating extracts at various concentrations exhibited cell viability exceeding 80%, confirming excellent biosafety. Furthermore, the coating demonstrated outstanding stability and durability in a simulated urine environment. This study presents a novel strategy for developing high-performance medical lubricant coatings, offering significant value for performance optimization and clinical application of single-use interventional medical devices.