Facile fabrication of polycarbonate monolith by non-solvent induced phase separation method

Polycarbonate (PC) monoliths with three-dimensional continuous interconnected porous structure in a single piece are fabricated via non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) for the first time. The morphology of fabricated monolith is observed through SEM, the surface area is determined by BET method and the thermal property is measured via DSC. The pore and skeleton sizes of the monolith are readily controlled by varying the fabrication parameters such as the polymer concentration and molecular weight, the standing temperature and the solvent composition. The PC monolith possesses relatively large surface area and sharp melting point at 232 °C. These monoliths with high thermal stability can offer various potential applications of functional materials.