The copolymers of methyl methacrylate with 2-methacryloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) were synthesized by solution polymerization. The copolymer membranes were prepared by a solvent evaporation method and characterized by differential scanning calorimeter, gel permeation chromatography, elemental analysis, ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance, and scanning electron microscopy. The equilibrium water content (EWC) and adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) onto the surface of the copolymer membranes were studied, while dynamic contact angle (DCA) was used to monitor hydrophilicity of the membrane surfaces. It was found that EWC of the copolymer membranes increased with MPC mass content and system temperature. The results of DCA showed that the surface of the membranes could be mobile and able to rearrange depending on the environment in which the membranes were placed. The adsorbed amount of BSA decreased with the increment of MPC mass content in the copolymer membranes, which was able to improve the anticoagulant activity of the membranes. The blood anticoagulation of the membranes was determined by a platelet adhesion experiment. It was shown that the copolymer membranes, in which the mass content of MPC was more than 25%, appeared to be beneficial in improving the anticoagulation that was proved to suppress the platelet adhesion.

Key words: 2-methacryloxyethyl phosphorylcholine, equilibrium water content, dynamic contact angle, bovine serum albumin, blood anticoagulation