Polyhedral stability - on the growth of flat crystal faces on small molecule and protein crystals

✍ Scribed by Chr. N. Nanev

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2004
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 160 KB
• Volume: 39
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0232-1300
• DOI: 10.1002/crat.200310142

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The old standing problem of face morphology is discussed. A special emphasis is put on the macroscopically flat faces, appearing on small molecule crystals mostly during calm growth, under low supersaturations. As distinct, protein crystals are growing with macroscopically flat faces even under surprisingly high supersaturations. Explanations of these facts are suggested by considering the surface micro‐profile of crystal faces which growth is driven by screw dislocations. It is shown that, due to kinetic reasons, the tips of the growth hillocks and the valley between them have to be levelled to some extent (at least on a quasi‐atomic scale) under low enough supersaturations. The amplitude of the surface roughness has to be suppressed also due to the surface energy gain, especially under quasi‐equilibrium. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)