Conversion of stable crystals to metastable crystals in a solution by periodic change of temperature.

Katsuno, Hiroyasu; Uwaha, Makio · Phys Rev E · 2023

basic_science · Level V

Where this comes from

Abstract

Using a Becker-Döring-type model including cluster incorporation, we study the possibility of conversion of stable crystals to metastable crystals in a solution by a periodic change of temperature. At low temperature, both stable and metastable crystals are assumed to grow by coalescence with monomers and corresponding small clusters. At high temperature, a large amount of small clusters produced by the dissolution of crystals inhibits the dissolution of crystals, and the imbalance in the amount of crystals increases. By repeating this process, the periodic temperature change can convert stable crystals into metastable crystals.