Functional materials with nano-micro sized internal structure for biomedical applications

An effective method to obtain functional materials with an internal porous-interconnected structure, which pore size was modulated by changing the monomer composition, is presented.We focused our attention on the High Internal Phase Emulsion (HIPE) method which provides an emulsion with not less than 80 % of internal phase. HIPE method allows to polymerize monomers (and crosslink them) in both internal or external phase of the emulsion. Depending from the physical localization of the monomer(s), one could obtain a porous monolithic structure (if the monomer(s) is present in the external phase) or micro-nanoparticles (if the monomer(s) is present in the internal phase). The monomers mixture should be provided with a backbone monomer, a crosslinker and a functional monomer. While the styrene/divinylbenzene system or is often proposed, in this work monomers from the great family of acrylates and methacrylates are proposed for their more favorable biologic properties. The family of acrylates/methacrylates could meet, by choosing the correct mixture of monomers, all the requirements of our materials.With our approach, we can predict the pore size control of the internal structure which could be exploited and explored for different purposes, mostly in the biomedical field.An effective method to obtain functional materials with an internal porous-interconnected structure, which pore size was modulated by changing the monomer composition, is presented.We focused our attention on the High Internal Phase Emulsion (HIPE) method which provides an emulsion with not less than 80 % of internal phase. HIPE method allows to polymerize monomers (and crosslink them) in both internal or external phase of the emulsion. Depending from the physical localization of the monomer(s), one could obtain a porous monolithic structure (if the monomer(s) is present in the external phase) or micro-nanoparticles (if the monomer(s) is present in the internal phase). The monomers mixture should be provided with a backbone monomer, a crosslinker and a functional monomer. While the styrene/divinylbenzene system or is often proposed, in this work monomers from the great family of acrylates and methacrylates are proposed for their more favorable biologic properties. The family of acrylates/methacrylates cou...