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Microscopic Kinetics Pathway of Salt Crystallization in Graphene Nanocapillaries

Wang, L; Chen, J; Cox, SJ; Liu, L; Sosso, GC; Li, N; Gao, P; ... Bai, X; + view all (2021) Microscopic Kinetics Pathway of Salt Crystallization in Graphene Nanocapillaries. Physical Review Letters , 126 (13) , Article 136001. 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.136001. Green open access

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Abstract

The fundamental understanding of crystallization, in terms of microscopic kinetic and thermodynamic details, remains a key challenge in the physical sciences. Here, by using in situ graphene liquid cell transmission electron microscopy, we reveal the atomistic mechanism of NaCl crystallization from solutions confined within graphene cells. We find that rock salt NaCl forms with a peculiar hexagonal morphology. We also see the emergence of a transitory graphitelike phase, which may act as an intermediate in a two-step pathway. With the aid of density functional theory calculations, we propose that these observations result from a delicate balance between the substrate-solute interaction and thermodynamics under confinement. Our results highlight the impact of confinement on both the kinetics and thermodynamics of crystallization, offering new insights into heterogeneous crystallization theory and a potential avenue for materials design.

Type: Article
Title: Microscopic Kinetics Pathway of Salt Crystallization in Graphene Nanocapillaries
Location: United States
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.136001
Publisher version: http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.136001
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the version of record. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > Dept of Physics and Astronomy
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10127913
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