Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images in phase mode show the surface morphology of the APCNs (Figure ). APCNs usually display a phase-separated morphology at the nanoscale, with dark hydrophobic and bright hydrophilic domains. The AFM images of the HCNC_00 show nanophase separation typical of APCNs, with round hydrophobic domains in a sponge-like hydrophilic phase. The samples containing HCNCs show a higher density of aggregates on the surface, which likely correspond to the HCNCs. From the AFM images, differentiating between the APCN's hard hydrophilic domains and HCNCs is challenging.