Issue 24, 2020

Recent experimental explorations of non-classical nucleation

Abstract

Nucleation, the early stage of crystallization, is a key step in producing functional materials, but nucleation processes have yet to be understood in detail. Recent advanced characterization techniques, especially atomic force microscopy, liquid-cell transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and cryo-TEM, enable scientists to observe previously inaccessible nucleation details at the nanoscale. In this review, we summarize newly suggested non-classical nucleation models with respect to mechanistic understanding from experimental views, which highlight multi-step nucleation mechanisms. Different intermediated phases such as clusters at the pre-nucleation stage, liquid-like precursors, amorphous phases and even oligomers have been revealed, which play vital roles in nucleation and structure control. Moreover, these intermediated phases practically contribute in general to the structural variances of materials for nanoscience and nanotechnology. Overall, these studies ultimately enable us to control nucleation processes for materials synthesis.

Graphical abstract: Recent experimental explorations of non-classical nucleation

Article information

Article type
Highlight
Submitted
29 Mar 2020
Accepted
17 May 2020
First published
18 May 2020

CrystEngComm, 2020,22, 4057-4073

Author version available

Recent experimental explorations of non-classical nucleation

B. Jin, Z. Liu and R. Tang, CrystEngComm, 2020, 22, 4057 DOI: 10.1039/D0CE00480D

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