Topographical and wettability effects of post-discharge plasma treatments on macroporous polystyrene-divinylbenzene solid foams

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphological characteristics and wetting properties of polystyrene-divinylbenzene (PS-DVB) solid foams and their modification through post-discharge plasmas. The low-density solid foams are mainly macroporous, but show a small fraction of mesopores; their characterization revealed differences in topography between the smoother surface and the rougher bulk, while from the chemical point of view both regions of the PS-DVB solid foams are hydrophobic. The macroporous structure of these materials with high pore volume makes them interesting for the design of new drug delivery systems, but some active principles and the physiological media are hydrophilic; therefore, it would be of interest to modify the wettability of the materials via post-discharge plasma treatments.