Effects of surface energy of casting mold on surface properties of hydrophilic PU/hydrophobic PS IPNs

Abstract

The effects of the surface energy of casting mold on the surface properties of the hydrophilic PU/hydrophobic PS IPNs were investigated. The mixture of PU prepolymer and styrene monomer was simultaneously polymerized against the molds with different surface energies. The surface properties of the hydrophilic PU/ hydrophobic PS IPN were characterized by using the contact angle measurement and ESCA. With decreasing the surface energy of the mold, the surface energy of PU/PS IPNs also decreased, and the composition of hydrophobic PS component increased. From AFM phase image observation, the domain size and area fraction of PS-rich phase increased with decreasing the surface energy of the molds. In the blood compatibility test, the adhesion of platelets was reduced on the surface with optimum amphiphilic balance. The percentage of the adhesion of ECs was increased on IPNs polymerized on the steel mold and the IPNs had the highest collagen adsorption.