Polymers Employed and Role of the Molecular Characteristics on the BFs Formation

Abstract

Commercial and synthetic polymers used for the preparation of microporous surfaces using the breath-figures approach are surveyed. Industrial, commercially available polymers and “sophisticated” engineering ones including stimuli-responsive polymers, biodegradable polymers, high-performance, conductive/semiconductive, and natural polymers giving rise to the breath-figures patterns are addressed. Inorganic-organic hybrid microporous materials are reviewed. High temperature stability and chemical high resistance polymers enabling formation of honeycomb microporous structures are surveyed. The role of functional groups as well as the macromolecular characteristics (polymer topologies and molecular weight) in the porous film fabrication is treated in detail. The molecular weight impacts markedly the pattern arising from the breath-figures self-assembly. Cyclic polymers enabling the formation of the breath-figures patterns are discussed.