A new family of diblock surfactants based on low molecular weight polyethylene oxide and a more hydrophobic block containing benzophenone is reported. These surfactants self-assemble out of aqueous solution onto hydrophobic surfaces and can be covalently bonded to the surface via irradiation with ultraviolet light. Such films on polystyrene possess a static contact angle with water of 55.7+/-1.7 o . Non-specific adsorption of several proteins on these surfaces is compared, with the greatest reduction being 89% for fibrinogen. In addition, the coatings have been shown to reduce adherence of the bacterium Proteus mirabilis by 95.5%. Surfaces were investigated with atomic force microscopy and time of flight-secondary ion mass spectroscopy (TOF-SIMS), which revealed very thin uniform coatings. Such thin wettable and passivating coatings may be desirable on applications where small spatial separations must be preserved.