Review on Cell Structure Regulation and Performances Improvement of Porous Poly (Lactic Acid).

Recent advances in the cell structure regulation and performances improvement of porous poly (lactic acid) (PLA) materials (PPMs) are systematically reviewed in this feature article. Firstly, the typical processing methods, including template method, non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS), freeze-drying, supercritical CO 2 foaming and so on, of PPMs are introduced emphatically. Their various cell morphologies by different processing methods are summarized: finger-like, honeycomb-like, fiber-like, through cell, open cell, closed cell, ball-like and flower-like. Meanwhile, the transformation among different cell morphologies as well as the changes in cell size and cell density, having impact on the performances, are described. Secondly, the influence of stereo-complex crystals on the cell structure of PPMs is emphatically reviewed. Furthermore, the relationships between cell structure and properties that includes mechanical properties, thermal stability, heat insulation and hydrophobicity, are elaborated. Eventually, the issues of PPMs worthy of further study are discussed in this paper. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.