Acetone liquid-induced and vapor-induced (26.5 kPa) crystallization behavior of bisphenol-A polycarbonate (BAPC) at 298 K was studied and compared. The results showed that in the initial stage of the induced crystallization, the ability of the amorphous BAPC to crystallize had been greatly enhanced with a rapid increase of crystallinity. Compared with liquid-induced crystallization, the crystallization rate and crystallinity of vapor induced crystallization were much lower. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction spectra displayed that liquid induced or vapor induced crystallization of BAPC samples enjoyed such characters as smaller and less perfect crystal grains and a higher crystallinity in comparison with a melting crystallization process. The morphology of BAPC samples after liquid induced or vapor induced crystallization was examined by means of a scanning electron microscope and the different spherulite morphologies as well as formation of spherulites of crystallized samples prepared by the two inducing methods were studied.

Key words: bisphenol-A polycarbonate, induced crystallization, structure, morphology