The aim of our work was to understand the impact of electron treatment on polymer thin films, particularly on their surface properties as well as the possibilities and limitations to tune these properties. Two different polymers, polystyrene ( PS) and poly-2-vinlypyridine (P2VP), were chosen to form thin polymer films by grafting of end-terminated linear polymer chains to a surface with sufficient grafting density, forming so called "polymer brushes''. We were able to identify the surface properties and specify ongoing physico-chemical changes after electron beam treatment by using zeta potential and contact angle measurements. By varying the absorbed dose it was possible to tune the surface properties over a wide range. The detailed knowledge about the latitude of functionalization of the tested polymers was a prerequisite for the creation of wettability gradients by electron beam treatment by adapting a special mask of known thickness and density. Hence, electron beam treatment opens an easy reproducible way to generate surface gradients in functionality. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.