Prevention of plasticizer leaching from PVC medical devices by using organic–inorganic hybrid coatings

α,ω-triethoxysilane terminated poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-Si) was prepared and used to produce organic/inorganic hybrids by the sol–gel approach. These hybrids were used as coatings for flexible PVC tubes in order to reduce the plasticizer leaching from PVC medical devices. Extraction tests carried out with hexane indicated that all coating composition investigated are able to strongly reduce (about one order of magnitude) the leaching of di-ethylhexyl phthalate in hexane. The best results were obtained by an accurate balance of organic and inorganic phases content. XPS analysis showed a preferential segregation of silica onto the outer surface suggesting that a high inorganic content at the coating–extraction medium interface was present.