Particle-based hematite crystallization is invariant to initial particle morphology

Wang, Yining; Xue, Sichuang; Lin, Qingyun; Song, Duo; He, Yang; Liu, Lili; Zhou, Jianbin; Zong, Meirong; De Yoreo, James J.; Zhu, Junwu; Rosso, Kevin M.; Sushko, Maria L.; Zhang, Xin

doi:10.1073/pnas.2112679119

DOE OSTI · 1854404

Particle-based hematite crystallization is invariant to initial particle morphology

Wang, Yining·Xue, Sichuang·Lin, Qingyun·Song, Duo·He, Yang·Liu, Lili·Zhou, Jianbin·Zong, Meirong·De Yoreo, James J.·Zhu, Junwu·Rosso, Kevin M.·Sushko, Maria L.·Zhang, Xin

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Abstract

Significance Many crystallization processes occurring in nature produce highly ordered hierarchical architectures. Their formation cannot be explained using classical models of monomer-by-monomer growth. One of the possible pathways involves crystallization through the attachment of oriented nanocrystals. Thus, it requires detailed understanding of the mechanism of particle dynamics that leads to their precise crystallographic alignment along specific faces. In this study, we discover a particle-morphology–independent oriented attachment mechanism for hematite nanocrystals. Independent of crystal morphology, particles always align along the [001] direction driven by aligning interactions between (001) faces and repulsive interactions between other pairs of hematite faces. These results highlight that strong face specificity along one crystallographic direction can render oriented attachment to be independent of initial particle morphology.

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37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY crystal growth hematite interfacial force non-classical crystallization oriented attachment particle-based crystallization

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Wang, Yining, Xue, Sichuang, Lin, Qingyun, Song, Duo, He, Yang, Liu, Lili, Zhou, Jianbin, Zong, Meirong, De Yoreo, James J., Zhu, Junwu, Rosso, Kevin M., Sushko, Maria L., Zhang, Xin. 2022-03-11. Particle-based hematite crystallization is invariant to initial particle morphology. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2112679119

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