Highlight
Mesoscale clusters of organic solutes in solution and their role in crystal nucleation
Despite recent advances, fundamental knowledge of the properties, thermodynamics and kinetics of mesoscale clusters, and their role in nucleation, is still limited.
Insights into the amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) → ikaite → calcite transformations
Ikaite formation and its transformation to calcite occurs via distinct amorphous calcium carbonates (referred to as I and II) that differ in their morphology, particle size, water content and stability.
Paper
Formation of calcium phosphate nanoparticles in the presence of carboxylate molecules: a time-resolved in situ synchrotron SAXS and WAXS study
The crystallization of calcium phosphate nanoparticles in the presence of carboxylates was characterized in situ through simultaneous SAXS/WAXS using synchrotron light.
Pyrophosphate-stabilised amorphous calcium carbonate for bone substitution: toward a doping-dependent cluster-based model
Multiscale and multitool advanced characterisation of pyrophosphate-stabilised amorphous calcium carbonates allowed building a cluster-based model paving the way for tunable biomaterials.
New insights into the nucleation of magnesium hydroxide and the influence of poly(acrylic acid) during the early stages of Mg(OH)2 crystallisation
Potentiometric titrations and transmission electron microscopy reveal the complex mechanisms of magnesium hydroxide formation from solution and show how polycarboxylates may interfere with the process and alter the properties of the final product.
Water-induced stacking of α-Fe2O3 hexagonal nanoplates along the [001] direction and their facet-dependent catalytic performances
A new strategy was developed to control the exposed facets of α-Fe2O3 through oriented attachment along the [001] direction by utilizing the polar {001} facets of α-Fe2O3, and the facet-dependent catalytic performance was explored.
Oriented attachment and aggregation as a viable pathway to self-assembled organic/inorganic hybrid materials
The intrinsic particle-based mechanisms of calcium sulfate crystallisation are exploited to incorporate specific organic polymers in the emerging mineral phase and thus obtain biomimetic organic/inorganic hybrid structures via self-organisation.
Influence of water concentration on the solvothermal synthesis of VO2(B) nanocrystals
Phase and length control of VO2(B) nanocrystals afforded by manipulating the ratio of toluene to water.
Demonstrated gradual evolution of disorder in crystalline structures between single crystal and polycrystal via chemical and physicochemical approaches
Single-crystal fluorapatite rods elongated in the c direction are switched to iso-oriented nanorods by adding a specific carboxy compound (chemical approach) and to roughly arranged nanograins by increasing the supersaturation at the growth front (physicochemical approach).
A nonclassical pathway to biomimetic strained SrSO4 crystals
Biomimetic strained SrSO4 crystals were produced through a nonclassical pathway involving fiber-by-fiber accumulation with poly(acrylic acid) in an aqueous solution system.
Magnetic flux density-determined oriented attachment growth of FePt nanowires
Operating the oriented attachment growth (OA-growth) of crystals is one of the key approaches to fabricating one-dimensional nanostructures with excellent performance.
The influence of L-aspartic acid on calcium carbonate nucleation and growth revealed by in situ liquid phase TEM
The L-Asp has a modulator function during CaCO3 crystallization by interaction with free calcium through coordinated bonds, forming vesicle-like structures during interaction CaCO3 nuclei.
Non-classical growth of brookite nanorods
Under hydrothermal conditions, the formation of the brookite phase occurs due to the oriented attachment of anatase particles with subsequent recrystallization.
About this collection
For many years the classical picture of nucleation and growth was accepted and successfully used to understand a variety of crystallization processes but more recently non-classical processes at either or both the nucleation or the growth stages have been hypothesized to better explain experimental observations. This Editor’s collection, guest edited by Associate Professor Franca Jones, Curtin University, Australia, highlights recent contributions to CrystEngComm that are broadly focused on non-classical crystallization. The selection of articles showcases the wide range of systems where non-classical processes are observed, the broad range of possible non-classical mechanisms (from non-classical nucleation to oriented attachment) and the importance of these processes. It is clear that non-classical mechanisms are becoming the norm and understanding these mechanisms will be vital to all crystallization experts.