Elastin was firstly modified by reacting the amino-groups on the elastin with para chloro-methylbenzoyl chloride and sodium diethyldithiocarbamate to prepare the macro-iniferters and subsequently modified by UV-induced polymerization to attach poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate). These modified elastin were examined using FTIR, XPS, TGA, SEM, ion chromatography and dynamic contact angle test. Results showed that PHEMA had been covalently bound to the elastin. Although SEM examination sug-gested that the surface of thio-iniferters-modified elastin was much smoother than that of unmodified sam-ples, the thermal stability of modified samples was slightly lower, that is to say, the initial temperature of thermal decomposition reduced from 307 to 260.2 ℃ and the temperature of maximum weight loss rate changed from 347 to 316.3 ℃. The dynamic contact angle test showed that the modified elastin was hydrophilic compared with the high hydrophobicity of elastin itself and after photopolymerization for 72 h, the advancing angle of elastin decreased from 130.45° to 35.40° and contact angle hysteresis reduced from 70.42° to 35.40°.

Key words: iniferter, elastin, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), photopolymerization, modification