Polymeric microspheres ware prepared by the breath figures (BFs) method which had the inexpensive and simple process.A variety of polymeric microspheres

such as acrylate-styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer (ASA)

poly(butylene succinate) (PBS)

acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS) and so on

were successfully prepared by BFs in the different nonsolvent atmospheres.Ethanol

methanol

n-hexane and acetic acid vapors were chosen as the nonsolvent atmosphere.Several influencing factors were considered on the formation of the microspheres with different morphologies

including the concentration of the polymer solution

the surface tension of ASA/CHCl3 solutions and the nonsolvent atmosphere.Then the patterns were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).It was found that the nonsolvent atmosphere affected the microspheres morphology

including the microspheres shape

size and the diameter distribution.With the decrease of the concentration of ethanol in water

the morphology of the microspheres became that of micropores.Furthermore

with the increase of the concentration of the polymer solution

a gradual change was observed in the polymeric morphology

from a microsphere pattern to a porous structure composed of adjoined microsphere in the ethanol atmosphere.The results proved that the BFs method is not only suitable for preparing ordered porous polymer films

but is also compatible with preparing polymeric microspheres.Also

this paper develops a facile way to control the morphology features by changing the vapor atmosphere

which is valuable for designing and fabricating ordered polymeric microstructures.