Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Myerson, Allan S.
• Trout, Bernhardt L.

Titel

Nucleation from Solution

Ist Teil von

• Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science), 2013-08, Vol.341 (6148), p.855-856

Ort / Verlag

Washington: American Association for the Advancement of Science

Erscheinungsjahr

2013

Quelle

American Association for the Advancement of Science

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Computer simulations of crystal nucleation provide evidence for two-step nucleation. [Also see Report by Wallace et al. ] The formation of crystalline solids from solution is fundamental to many natural and industrial processes. Crystallization may even be the key to the formation of life itself ( 1 ). The crystallization process begins with nucleation, which plays a central role in determining the structure and size distribution of the crystals. In the past decade, experimental and molecular modeling studies of ionic materials such as calcium carbonate, proteins, and organic molecular crystals has suggested that nucleation of solids from solution does not proceed via the classical pathway but follows much more complex routes. These routes are generally referred to as two-step nucleation, but actually encompass a number of potential mechanisms ( 2 – 4 ). On page 885 of this issue, Wallace et al. ( 5 ) use molecular simulations to probe CaCO 3 nucleation. The results provide evidence for a dense liquid-liquid phase in which solvated CaCO 3 clusters come together during nucleation.