Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 12, 2026
08:55
Methods of Ex Situ and In Situ Investigations of Structural Transformations: The Case of Crystallization of Metallic Glasses
Published on: June 7, 2018
9.0K
Unusual Crystallization Behavior Close to the Glass Transition.
Caroline Desgranges1, Jerome Delhommelle1
1Department of Chemistry, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58202, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|March 31, 2018
Summary
In glass-forming alloys, crystal nucleation unexpectedly slows near the glass transition. This occurs due to icosahedral structures hindering crystal growth, impacting catalytic applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Computational Chemistry
- Condensed Matter Physics
Background:
- Crystal nucleation is crucial for material properties.
- Understanding nucleation near the glass transition is complex.
- Controlling crystal nucleus structure is vital for catalysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate crystal nucleation mechanisms in metal alloys.
- Unravel the interplay between crystal nucleation and glass transition.
- Explore how alloy composition affects nucleation behavior.
Main Methods:
- Molecular simulations of crystallization processes.
- Analysis of two glass-forming copper alloys (Ag6Cu4 and CuZr).
- Examination of free energy barriers and structural evolution.
Main Results:
- Observed an unexpected reversal in nucleation behavior near the glass transition.
- Identified nonmonotonic temperature dependence of icosahedral structures.
- Icosahedral structures impede crystal nucleus development, increasing the free energy barrier.
Conclusions:
- Low-temperature crystallization near the glass transition promotes defect-free, closed-packed nuclei.
- This finding offers a new strategy for controlling crystal nucleus structure.
- Implications for enhancing catalytic applications through tailored crystal structures.
Related Concept Videos
01:16Unusual Results
3.9K
Unusual results are those that have a very low chance of occurring. Unusual results can be identified using probabilities and the range rule of thumb. In problems involving probability, unusual results can be observed in 2 instances – an unusually high number of successes or an unusually low number of successes.
According to the range rule of thumb, any value above or below two standard deviations, 2σ from the mean, μ is considered unusual.
Maximum unusual value =...
According to the range rule of thumb, any value above or below two standard deviations, 2σ from the mean, μ is considered unusual.
Maximum unusual value =...
3.9K
02:31Phase Transitions
23.3K
Whether solid, liquid, or gas, a substance's state depends on the order and arrangement of its particles (atoms, molecules, or ions). Particles in the solid pack closely together, generally in a pattern. The particles vibrate about their fixed positions but do not move or squeeze past their neighbors. In liquids, although the particles are closely spaced, they are randomly arranged. The position of the particles are not fixed—that is, they are free to move past their neighbors to...
23.3K
02:58Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes
31.0K
Crystal Field Theory
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
31.0K
01:07z Scores and Unusual Values
11.1K
The z score is one of the three measures of relative standing. It describes the location of a value in a dataset relative to the mean. z scores are obtained after the standardization of the values in a dataset. The z score for the mean is 0.
This score indicates how far a value is from the mean in terms of standard deviation. For example, if a data value has a z score of +1, the researcher can infer that the particular data value is one standard deviation above the mean. If another data...
This score indicates how far a value is from the mean in terms of standard deviation. For example, if a data value has a z score of +1, the researcher can infer that the particular data value is one standard deviation above the mean. If another data...
11.1K
01:28The Looking Glass Self
379
The concept of the looking-glass self describes how an individual's self-concept is shaped by their perception of how others see them. This psychological theory, first introduced by sociologist Charles Horton Cooley in 1902, posits that self-identity emerges in a social context and is influenced by the judgments—real or imagined—of others.Research suggests that individuals frequently overestimate how positively others perceive them. This is particularly evident in physical...
379
02:58Properties of Transition Metals
30.1K
Transition metals are defined as those elements that have partially filled d orbitals. As shown in Figure 1, the d-block elements in groups 3–12 are transition elements. The f-block elements, also called inner transition metals (the lanthanides and actinides), also meet this criterion because the d orbital is partially occupied before the f orbitals.
30.1K