Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 27, 2026

Processing of Bulk Nanocrystalline Metals at the US Army Research Laboratory
Published on: March 7, 2018
Magnetic alteration of crystallite alignment converting powder to a pseudo single crystal
Tsunehisa Kimura1, Fumiko Kimura, Masashi Yoshino
1Department of Applied Chemistry, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minami-ohsawa, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0397, Japan. kimura-tsunehisa@c.metro-u.ac.jp
Abstract:
The powder crystallites of L-alanine, selected for demonstration purposes, suspended in a photocurable resin were subjected to a frequency-modulated rotating magnetic field, and the achieved three-dimensional alignment was fixed by photopolymerization of the resin. The obtained sample exhibited the X-ray diffraction pattern that was comparable to the pattern of an equivalent actual original single crystal. This was achieved for the first time by the simultaneous alignment of the two magnetic axes, i.e., the easy and hard magnetization axes with respect to the space coordinates. A theoretical estimation indicates that a better alignment of the sample can be obtained if the sample preparation conditions are improved.
Related Concept Videos
Recrystallization: Solid–Solution Equilibria
Crystal Growth: Principles of Crystallization
Initiating crystallization involves manipulating the concentration of the solute and the temperature of the solution. Since crystal growth occurs when the ratio of concentration and solubility of the solute in the solvent – the...
Ferromagnetism
Determination of Crystal Structures
Imperfections in Crystal Structure: Point, Line and Plane Defects
Imperfections in Crystal Structure: Non-Stoichiometric Defects

