Colloidal Hard-Sphere Crystal Growth Frustrated by Large Spherical Impurities

Impurities affect the nucleation, growth, and structure of crystals. Here we report the effect of large, spherical, polymethylmethacrylate impurities on the crystal growth of monodisperse, hard, polymethylmethacrylate colloids in a density- and optically matching apolar solvent mixture. Crystal grow...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inScience (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 309; no. 5738; pp. 1231 - 1233
Main Authors Volkert W. A. de Villeneuve, Roel P. A. Dullens, Dirk G. A. L. Aarts, Groeneveld, Esther, Scherff, Johannes H., Kegel, Willem K., Henk N. W. Lekkerkerker
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Washington, DC American Association for the Advancement of Science 19.08.2005
The American Association for the Advancement of Science
Subjects
Analysis
Applied sciences
Colloids
Crystal growth
Crystal structure
Crystal surfaces
Crystallization
Crystals
Curvature
Exact sciences and technology
Fractions
Grain boundaries
Growth
Homogenization
Impurities
Inhalants
Laboratory Equipment
Lasers
Material concentration
Mineralogy
Nucleation
Organic polymers
Physicochemistry of polymers
Polymethyl methacrylate
Properties and characterization
Solvents
Statistical Analysis
Testing
Heterogeneity
Nucleation
Mixed solvent
Investigation method
Impurity effect
Scanning light microscopy
Methyl methacrylate polymer
Confocal microscopy
Solution crystallization
Kinetics
Experimental study
Crystal morphology
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Summary:Impurities affect the nucleation, growth, and structure of crystals. Here we report the effect of large, spherical, polymethylmethacrylate impurities on the crystal growth of monodisperse, hard, polymethylmethacrylate colloids in a density- and optically matching apolar solvent mixture. Crystal growth, initiated at the bottom of the sample, was studied by imaging sequences of two-dimensional xy slices in the plane of the impurity's center with a laser scanning confocal microscope. Impurities form the center of grain boundaries, and a single fluid particle layer around the impurity persists in all cases. The growth rate sensitively depends on the impurity's size. Crystal growth is inhibited to a greater extent near smaller impurities, pointing to local crystal frustration induced by the curvature of the impurity.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1113207