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We have developed a new methodology for preparing films and paints suitable for use as biocatalytic coatings. The hydrolytic enzymes pronase and α‐chymotrypsin were immobilized by either sol‐gel entrapment or by covalent attachment into a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix and cast into thin films or incorporated into an oil‐based paint formulation. All of the coatings retained enzymatic activity and adhered to several different materials. The enzymatic films and paints also exhibited higher thermostability than enzyme free in solution or covalently attached to the outer surface of PDMS. A porous membrane based on a PDMS‐immobilized enzyme was also prepared by an immersion precipitation process. Protein adsorption measurements showed that the enzyme‐containing films and paints adsorbed less protein than enzyme‐free controls, and that protein adsorption decreased with increasing proteolytic activity of the coating. These coatings thus provide the means to apply a stable enzymatic surface to a wide range of materials, and may be generally useful as biocatalytic paints and films. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 72: 475–482, 2001

Polyurethane membranes were prepared by an immersion precipitation process. The effects of dope concentration, coagulation bath composition, and the chemical structure of the polyurethane on the morphology of the membranes were studied. The degree of contraction was measured by quenching freshly formed polyurethane membranes in liquid nitrogen. A mechanism for the formation of membrane morphology during immersion precipitation is proposed.

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