Synthesis and characterization of poly(lactic acid)-poly(methyl methacrylate) porous polymeric films by breath figure method

Breath Figure technique is a method for obtaining porous polymeric films under different humidity and temperature conditions which can be used as an alternative method to expensive lithographic techniques used in obtaining porous polymeric films. Casting the polymer solution onto a solid surface in a humid environment and controlled evaporation leave a porous polymeric membrane. Surfaces synthesized by this method can be used as an implant surface for tissue growth studies, as well as for the synthesis of functional, biomedical surfaces where selective adsorption, complete adhesion or non-adhesion is desired. The aim of this thesis is the determination of optimum conditions during the synthesis of porous polymeric thin films in a certain geometry from Poly (lactic acid) (PLA), Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymers and their blends in static environments under certain humidity and temperature conditions by using Breath Figure technique which is an inexpensive and effective method in porous polymeric surface synthesis, surface characterization (morphological structure), wettability properties (hydrophilicity / hydrophobicity), analysis of surface free energies, examination of pore diameter and their distribution and associated with surface properties. The morphology and chemical heterogeneity of the synthesized porous polymeric surfaces were characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle and surface free energy measurements.