Selection Criteria for Solvent and Coagulation Medium to Modulate the Structure of Polymethylmethacrylate Prepared by Wet Phase Inversion

Abstract

Polymethylmethacrylate, PMMA, with sponge or finger pores are interesting depending on the application. Our goal was to investigate parameters (Φ and Φ’) to foresee the morphology of PMMA prepared by phase inversion based on chemical composition (amount and type of solvent, non-solvent and surfactant). A literature survey was conducted with different chemical composition and analyzed by statistical tools. Sponge-like structures were obtained in systems whose Φ value is less than 0.22 or the Φ’ value is more than 0.55. Both indexes can differentiate to some extent systems that generate finger-like structures from those that generate sponge-like ones.

Keywords

• phase inversion; poly(methyl methacrylate) supports; statistical analysis; thermodynamic parameters