Surface Properties for Blended Films of Poly(methylmethacrylate) and Terpolymers Composed of Methylmethacrylate, Methoxypoly(ethyleneglycol-methacrylate) and Poly(dimethylsiloxanemethacrylate)

Terpolymers composed of methylmethacrylate (MMA), poly(dimethylsiloxanemethacrylate) (PDMSMA) and methoxypoly(ethyleneglycolmethacrylate) (MPEGMA), which have blood compatibility, were blended with poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) in order to improve their mechanical properties. It was expected that low surface free energy components such as the poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and methoxy groups of terpolymer would predominate at the blend surface. The adsorptions of PDMS to the blended surfaces were confirmed via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A large contact angle hysteresis was observed for the blended films via a dynamic contact angle. Advancing contact angles for blended films showed the same values as that of the silicone. The receding contact angles for those blends incorporating PDMSMA-rich terpolymer showed high values and decreased with hot water treatment, while MPEGMA-rich terpolymer blended films exhibited low values and maintained those values after hot water treatment. Adhesion tension relaxations for these blended films were also observed. These phenomena were interpreted to be caused by the reorganization of a hydrophobic segment to the polymer surface or hydrophilic segment to the water/polymer interface so as to decrease the surface or interfacial tension, respectively. Although the mechanical properties slightly decreased with blending of these terpolymers, the blended films could be applied for various practical uses.