Patent ID: 7179506

Claim:
A method of modifying the surface of a hydrophobic solid-phase object with an adsorbed layer of PVOH, comprising: a) immersing the solid-phase object in a PVOH solution having a concentration of about 0.001 M to about 0.5 M, for at least about 10 min to about 100 hours at a temperature ranging from about 10° C. to about 70° C.; b) removing the object from the solution after PVOH is adsorbed to the surface of the object; c) rinsing the object with water to remove any loosely attached PVOH; and d) drying the object at reduced pressure or ambient conditions wherein there is crystallization of PVOH at the solid solution/interfaces forming an adsorbed layer of PVOH to the object is sufficiently stable that it does not redissolve in an aqueous solution, wherein the solid-phase object has a lower surface energy relative to PVOH, wherein the object consists of covalently attached monolayers on silicon wafers.