Patent ID: 7470290

Claim:
A method of forming a hydroscopic polymer gel on a surface that comprises: (a) applying a water soluble or water dispersible polymer to the surface to form a layer of the polymer on said surface; and (b) allowing water to be sequestered to the layer to form the polymer gel, wherein said polymer gel is not visible and has a thickness that ranges from 0.1 nm to 500 nm, wherein the polymer gel protects said surface against wetting by oil, wherein said polymer comprises: (1) a water soluble or water dispersible copolymer having: (i) a first monomer that is acidic and that is capable of forming an anionic charge; and (ii) a second monomer that is an amphipathic monomer that contains at least one hydrophobic moiety and at least one hydrophilic moiety which together define the amphipathic monomer; and (iii) optionally, a third monomer that is hydrophobic; and (iv) optionally, a fourth monomer that has a permanent cationic charge or that is capable of forming a cationic charge on protonation.