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Updated: Nov 19, 2025
12:29
Optimization of Crystal Growth for Neutron Macromolecular Crystallography
Published on: March 13, 2021
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Reversible disorder-order transitions in atomic crystal nucleation
Sungho Jeon1, Taeyeong Heo1, Sang-Yeon Hwang2
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, BK21 FOUR ERICA-ACE Center, Hanyang University, Ansan, Gyeonggi 15588, Republic of Korea.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|January 29, 2021
Summary
Atomic crystallization nucleation involves dynamic structural fluctuations between disordered and crystalline states, not a single transition. This finding reshapes understanding of nucleation mechanisms in atomic systems.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Physical Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Classical nucleation theory offers limited insight into atomic crystallization dynamics.
- Nonclassical mechanisms involving spontaneous disorder-to-crystal transitions are proposed but lack detailed dynamic understanding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the early stages of atomic crystallization nucleation.
- To elucidate the dynamic processes governing heterogeneous nucleation of gold nanocrystals.
Main Methods:
- In situ electron microscopy with millisecond temporal resolution.
- Experimental and theoretical analysis of atomic cluster dynamics.
Main Results:
- Atomic crystallization proceeds via dynamic structural fluctuations between disordered and crystalline states.
- These fluctuations originate from size-dependent thermodynamic stability of atomic clusters.
- A single irreversible transition model is insufficient to describe early nucleation stages.
Conclusions:
- The study reveals a dynamic fluctuation mechanism in atomic crystallization nucleation.
- Findings challenge existing models and provide a more accurate understanding of nucleation dynamics.
- This work offers crucial insights into fundamental processes in materials science and nanotechnology.
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