We report pressure-controlled fast growth of unique crystalline structures of bisphenol-A polycarbonate (PC) was achieved by the introduction of both dioctyl phthalate (DOP) and fullerene C60. PC/DOP/C60 ternary composites with an overall good C60 dispersion were prepared by an easy physical and mechanical route, and then crystallized in a piston-cylinder high-pressure apparatus by varying temperature, pressure, crystallization time and composite composition. The crystallization of PC was greatly hastened by the blending with DOP and C60, and its melting point was increased to 288.25 degrees centigrade by the subsequent high-pressure treatment, which was around 40 centigrade higher than that of the samples crystallized at normal pressure.Three-dimensional spiky crystalline spheres were formed with the increase of crystallization temperature, which began with zerodimensional nanogranules, and then developed by merging process through the stages of one-dimensional lamellar crystallites and two-dimensional dendrites. With pressure increased, the granules merged first into plate crystals, and then into micro-spheres with rugged surfaces or porous structures. Also, sometimes the granules organized into rugged crystalline nanoballs, and peony-like stereoopen structures were observed by changing composite composition. The as-prepared three-dimensional crystalline structures, with their large specific areas, may diversify niche functional applications as surface active materials.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.