Crystal faces, attachments energies, and morphology prediction

1 Crystal faces, attachments energies, and morphology prediction 

After the early nucleation and accretion events, large aggregates of unmistakable crystalline nature eventually result, and further attachment of molecules from a surrounding fluid phase leads to what is known as crystal growth proper, an intrinsically epitaxial, two-dimensional phenomenon occurring on well-developed crystal faces. 

On the other hand. Fig. 13.11 shows a sketch of the actual situation at the boundary between the growing erystal face and the solution. Solute molecules approach the surface in conformational freedom, amidst solvent molecules, some of which are also adsorbed on the crystal surface. There is little doubt that the structure of the bulk solution is different from that of the solution close to the surface, which limits molecular mobility and induces an electrostatic potential onto the solute moleeules. 

With a simple construction, the predicted crystal morphology is established as explained in Fig. 13.12 (right), using expansion vectors whose direction is determined 

Crystal morphology is well known to be extremely solvent-dependent. If predictions other than in vacuo are desired, the influence of the solvent must be taken into 

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