A colloidal crystal is an ordered array of colloid particles, analogous to a standard crystal whose repeating subunits are atoms or molecules. A natural example of this phenomenon can be found in the gem opal, where spheres of silica assume a close-packed locally periodic structure under moderate compression. Bulk properties of a colloidal crystal depend on composition, particle size, packing arrangement, and degree of regularity. Applications include photonics, materials processing, and the study of self-assembly and phase transitions.
Read more about Colloidal Crystal: Introduction, Origins, Trends, Thin Films, Non-spherical Colloid Based Crystals, See Also
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Famous quotes containing the word crystal:
“While that the sun with his beams hot
Scorched the fruits in vale and mountain,
Philon the shepherd, late forgot,
Sitting beside a crystal fountain,”
—Unknown. The Unfaithful Shepherdess (l. 1–4)