Crystals: Growth, Morphology, & Perfection

by Ichiro Sunagawa

Overview

How do crystals nucleate and grow? Why and how do crystals form such a wide variety of morphologies? These questions have been posed since the seventeenth century, and are still vitally important for modern technology and understanding the Earth's interior and formation of minerals by living organisms. Including a range of case studies of complex systems, from diamond, calcite and pyrite to crystals formed through biomineralization, this book establishes the atomic processes behind crystal growth.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521714792
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	08/13/2007
Pages:	308
Product dimensions:	6.70(w) x 9.60(h) x 0.90(d)

Table of Contents

Foreword to the English translation; Preface; Part I. Fundamental Concepts: 1. Introduction; 2. Crystal forms; 3. Crystal growth; 4. Factors determining the morphology of polyhedral crystals; 5. Surface microtopography of crystal faces; 6. Perfection and homogeneity of single crystals; 7. Regular intergrowth of crystals; 8. Forms and textures of polycrystalline aggregates; Part II. Application to Complicated and Complex Systems (Case Studies): 9. Diamond; 10. Rock-crystal (quartz); 11. Pyrite and calcite; 12. Minerals formed by vapour growth; 13. Crystals formed by metasomatism and metamorphism; 14. Crystals formed through biological activity; Appendixes; Materials index; Subject index.

Editorial Reviews

"I can recommend [the book] to any mineralogist who cn appreciate new ideas in the theoretical approach to crystal forms and in different methods and techniques for internal and external study of crystals. This up-to-date work has a place also in introductory courses in crystallography and mineralogy." The Canadian Mineralogist, R.I. Kostov, University of Mining and Geology, Bulgaria

"In this reviewer's opinion, this is the comst comprehensive book currently available on crystal growth and morphology." —Gems and Gemology

From the Publisher