title: Chemical and Topographical Modification of Polycarbonate Surfaces through Diffusion/Photocuring Processes of Hydrogel Precursors Based on Vinylpyrrolidone.
abstract: Facile procedures capable of simultaneously conferring hydrophilicity and tailored topography to surfaces of hydrophobic supports, such as polycarbonate (PC), are very attractive but rare. In this work, we describe a simple methodology to wrinkle PC surfaces after a process of (a) contacting with a photopolymerizable vinylic solution, (b) UV curing of such solutions, and (c) detachment of the formed polymer network, upon swelling in ethanol. The influence of different parameters such as contact lag time between the PC surface and the polymerizable solution, the monomer concentration and type of solvents, as well as the cross-linking degree on the formation of wrinkles, has been studied. The dimensions of the wrinkles can be tailored to some extent by altering the different parameters. Surface chemistry has been analyzed by contact angle measurements and by confocal Raman microscopy. The results are consistent with a chemical alteration of the surface and the formation of an outer hydrogel layer, which is interpenetrated into the PC structure. A mechanism of monomer diffusion and PC swelling that produces surface instabilities and wrinkling is proposed.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) , C/Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4614-4299
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gallardo
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) , C/Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Noelia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lujan
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) , C/Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Reinecke
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) , C/Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Cerámica y Vidrio (ICV-CSIC) , C/Kelsen 5, 28049 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Adolfo Del
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Campo
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Polímeros (ICTP), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) , C/Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2464-1040
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Hernandez