| abstract |
A composition has a polymeric network that includes a porogen and a photoinitiator. The photoinitiator produces a reactive species upon irradiation, which reacts with the porogen in a degradation reaction that degrades at least some of the porogen. A method of forming a nanoporous polymer has one step in which a plurality of polymeric strands, a photoinitiator, and a porogen are provided. In a subsequent step, at least some of the polymeric strands are crosslinked to form a polymeric network that includes the porogen and the photoinitiator, and in a further step the photoinitiator in the polymeric network is irradiated to generate a reactive species that reacts with the porogen in a degradation reaction to degrade at least some of the porogen. |