Issue 23, 2022

Epitaxy: a methodological approach to the study of an old phenomenon

Abstract

Epitaxial growth is a long-standing crystallization phenomenon of great technological interest. Here, we present the use of a new methodology approach making full use of the concept of adhesion energy between two different crystal phases, A and B. This is achieved by using (i) the traditional crystal-chemical fit between A and B; (ii) the extensive use of Bollmann's approach to the 2D-lattice coincidences; (iii) the most accurate methods of calculation of the specific adhesion energy of A/B. We illustrate the approach with two case studies: (i) how epilayers of inorganic and monoclinic Li2CO3 (zabuyelite) can modify the crystal habit of the CaCO3 polymorphs, calcite (rhombohedral) and aragonite (orthorhombic); (ii) how a complex organic substance like sericin (silk fibroin like protein-SFLP) could stabilize aragonite and calcite, the most diffuse CaCO3 polymorphs, simply reproducing and mimicking in the laboratory what nature does.

Graphical abstract: Epitaxy: a methodological approach to the study of an old phenomenon

Article information

Article type
Highlight
Submitted
10 Mar 2022
Accepted
05 May 2022
First published
05 May 2022
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

CrystEngComm, 2022,24, 4165-4173

Epitaxy: a methodological approach to the study of an old phenomenon

M. Bruno, L. Pastero, A. Cotellucci and D. Aquilano, CrystEngComm, 2022, 24, 4165 DOI: 10.1039/D2CE00340F

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