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Related Concept Videos

Structures of Solids02:22

Structures of Solids

Solids in which the atoms, ions, or molecules are arranged in a definite repeating pattern are known as crystalline solids. Metals and ionic compounds typically form ordered, crystalline solids. A crystalline solid has a precise melting temperature because each atom or molecule of the same type is held in place with the same forces or energy. Amorphous solids or non-crystalline solids (or, sometimes, glasses) which lack an ordered internal structure and are randomly arranged. Substances that...
Molecular and Ionic Solids02:54

Molecular and Ionic Solids

Crystalline solids are divided into four types: molecular, ionic, metallic, and covalent network based on the type of constituent units and their interparticle interactions.
Molecular Solids
Molecular crystalline solids, such as ice, sucrose (table sugar), and iodine, are solids that are composed of neutral molecules as their constituent units. These molecules are held together by weak intermolecular forces such as London dispersion forces, dipole-dipole interactions, or hydrogen bonds, which...
Ionic Crystal Structures02:42

Ionic Crystal Structures

Ionic crystals consist of two or more different kinds of ions that usually have different sizes. The packing of these ions into a crystal structure is more complex than the packing of metal atoms that are the same size.
Most monatomic ions behave as charged spheres, and their attraction for ions of opposite charge is the same in every direction. Consequently, stable structures for ionic compounds result (1) when ions of one charge are surrounded by as many ions as possible of the opposite...
Network Covalent Solids02:18

Network Covalent Solids

Network covalent solids contain a three-dimensional network of covalently bonded atoms as found in the crystal structures of nonmetals like diamond, graphite, silicon, and some covalent compounds, such as silicon dioxide (sand) and silicon carbide (carborundum, the abrasive on sandpaper). Many minerals have networks of covalent bonds.
To break or to melt a covalent network solid, covalent bonds must be broken. Because covalent bonds are relatively strong, covalent network solids are typically...
Recrystallization: Solid–Solution Equilibria01:10

Recrystallization: Solid–Solution Equilibria

Recrystallization is a purification technique used to separate impurities from solid compounds. In this technique, no chemical reactions occur. Instead, it exploits physical properties only, specifically, the solubility differences between the desired compound and impurities, either at a single temperature or at different temperatures, and under other selected conditions. The solid-solution equilibrium (solubility equilibrium) of each component in the solution represents a binary phase...
Liquid–Solid Solutions01:29

Liquid–Solid Solutions

The process of a solid dissolving in a liquid to form a solution is governed by the solubility limit, which is the maximum amount of the solid substance, or solute, that can be dissolved in a specific volume of the liquid or solvent. As the solute dissolves, it reaches a point where no more solute can be dissolved at a given temperature - this is known as the saturation point. However, if further solute is added and it manages to dissolve, the solution becomes supersaturated. Supersaturated...

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Related Experiment Video

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Controlling the Size, Shape and Stability of Supramolecular Polymers in Water
16:24

Controlling the Size, Shape and Stability of Supramolecular Polymers in Water

Published on: August 2, 2012

Supramolecular dendritic liquid quasicrystals.

Xiangbing Zeng1, Goran Ungar, Yongsong Liu

  • 1Department of Engineering Materials, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK.

Nature
|March 12, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Soft matter self-organizes into ordered phases. Researchers discovered quasiperiodic structures, similar to quasicrystals in metal alloys, can form in scaled-up micellar phases, revealing a new organizational principle.

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Area of Science:

  • Soft Matter Physics
  • Materials Science
  • Crystallography

Background:

  • Synthetic and natural compounds self-organize into bulk phases with nanoscale periodicities.
  • These ordered phases, including lamellar, columnar, and micellar structures, typically follow crystallographic rules.
  • Some metal alloys exhibit quasicrystals, defying traditional crystallographic symmetry.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if quasiperiodic structures, analogous to quasicrystals, can emerge in soft matter systems.
  • To explore new modes of organization beyond conventional crystallography in self-assembled phases.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of self-organized bulk phases in lyotropic and thermotropic systems.
  • Comparison of symmetry rules in soft matter structures with those in metal alloys.
  • Identification and characterization of quasiperiodic order in scaled-up micellar phases.

Main Results:

  • Soft matter self-assembly results in periodic structures (1D, 2D, 3D) obeying crystallographic symmetry.
  • Micellar phases in soft matter share crystallographic counterparts with specific metal alloys.
  • Quasiperiodic structures, previously observed only in quasicrystals, are demonstrated to exist in soft matter micellar phases.

Conclusions:

  • Soft matter can exhibit quasiperiodic organization, expanding the understanding of self-assembly beyond traditional crystallography.
  • The discovery of quasicrystals in soft matter opens new avenues for designing materials with unique properties.
  • This finding represents a novel mode of organization in the field of soft matter.