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Updated: Aug 22, 2025

Controlling the Size, Shape and Stability of Supramolecular Polymers in Water
Published on: August 2, 2012
Laser-Induced Shockwave Crystallization in Supersaturated Solutions and Conceivable Clustering in Undersaturated
Yusron Darojat1,2, Abdulaziz Aljalal1, Khaled Gasmi1,3
1Department of Physics, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran31261, Saudi Arabia.
Abstract:
In this study, a newly developed setup based on laser-induced shockwave crystallization coupled with electric conductivity monitoring was employed to study the growth of crystals in supersaturated solutions and to investigate possible clustering in undersaturated solutions of potassium nitrate (KNO3). A comparison was drawn between crystals induced by laser irradiation, by shockwaves, and spontaneously in terms of crystals' mean size, shape, and size distribution. The size distribution of produced crystals by shockwaves was also characterized in terms of laser irradiation time. The results show that produced crystals by shockwaves propagation have the sharpest size distribution and the smallest mean dimensions compared to crystals grown spontaneously or by direct laser induction. Real-time monitoring of nucleation was also performed in supersaturated solutions, while decrease in conductivity was observed in undersaturated solutions as a function of laser irradiation time.
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