IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v16y2025i1d10.1038_s41467-025-58962-5.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The size of critical secondary nuclei of polymer crystals does not depend on supersaturation

Author

Listed:
  • Yang Liu

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Zhiqi Wang

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Yao Zhang

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Tianyu Wu

    (China University of Petroleum)

  • Tianze Zheng

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Baohua Guo

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Günter Reiter

    (University of Freiburg)

  • Jun Xu

    (Tsinghua University)

Abstract

It is still a great challenge to determine the size of critical nuclei, which is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of crystallization and for testing the controversial crystallization theories. Here, we propose a method to determine the size of critical secondary nuclei on growth faces of poly(butylene succinate) single crystals in solution, basing on the probability of statistically selecting crystallizable units in random copolymers. In a dilute solution and for a given crystallization temperature, we reveal that the size of critical secondary nuclei was independent of supersaturation, contrary to the well-accepted prediction of existing theories which expect that the size of the critical nucleus increases with decreasing supersaturation. Accounting correctly for the dilution-caused change in the steady-state concentration of clusters of various sizes, we remedy inconsistencies of existing theoretical approaches in deriving the correct size of critical secondary nuclei in solution being independent of supersaturation.

Suggested Citation

  • Yang Liu & Zhiqi Wang & Yao Zhang & Tianyu Wu & Tianze Zheng & Baohua Guo & Günter Reiter & Jun Xu, 2025. "The size of critical secondary nuclei of polymer crystals does not depend on supersaturation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-58962-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58962-5
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-58962-5
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-025-58962-5?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Guoying Bai & Dong Gao & Zhang Liu & Xin Zhou & Jianjun Wang, 2019. "Probing the critical nucleus size for ice formation with graphene oxide nanosheets," Nature, Nature, vol. 576(7787), pages 437-441, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Meng Li & Nifang Zhao & Anran Mao & Mengning Wang & Ziyu Shao & Weiwei Gao & Hao Bai, 2023. "Preferential ice growth on grooved surface for crisscross-aligned graphene aerogel with large negative Poisson’s ratio," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Han Xue & Linhai Li & Yiqun Wang & Youhua Lu & Kai Cui & Zhiyuan He & Guoying Bai & Jie Liu & Xin Zhou & Jianjun Wang, 2024. "Probing the critical nucleus size in tetrahydrofuran clathrate hydrate formation using surface-anchored nanoparticles," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Fuqiang Chu & Shuxin Li & Canjun Zhao & Yanhui Feng & Yukai Lin & Xiaomin Wu & Xiao Yan & Nenad Miljkovic, 2024. "Interfacial ice sprouting during salty water droplet freezing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Yan-Fang Guan & Xiang-Yu Hong & Vasiliki Karanikola & Zhangxin Wang & Weiyi Pan & Heng-An Wu & Feng-Chao Wang & Han-Qing Yu & Menachem Elimelech, 2025. "Gypsum heterogenous nucleation pathways regulated by surface functional groups and hydrophobicity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-12, December.
    5. Xiao Yan & Samuel C. Y. Au & Sui Cheong Chan & Ying Lung Chan & Ngai Chun Leung & Wa Yat Wu & Dixon T. Sin & Guanlei Zhao & Casper H. Y. Chung & Mei Mei & Yinchuang Yang & Huihe Qiu & Shuhuai Yao, 2024. "Unraveling the role of vaporization momentum in self-jumping dynamics of freezing supercooled droplets at reduced pressures," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    6. Chen, Qin & Zhang, Guobin & Zhang, Xuzhong & Sun, Cheng & Jiao, Kui & Wang, Yun, 2021. "Thermal management of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells: A review of cooling methods, material properties, and durability," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 286(C).
    7. Minyoung Lee & Sang Yup Lee & Min-Ho Kang & Tae Kyung Won & Sungsu Kang & Joodeok Kim & Jungwon Park & Dong June Ahn, 2024. "Observing growth and interfacial dynamics of nanocrystalline ice in thin amorphous ice films," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    8. Youhua Lu & Ye-Guang Fang & Yang Chen & Han Xue & Junqiang Mao & Bo Guan & Jie Liu & Jinping Li & Libo Li & Chongqin Zhu & Wei-Hai Fang & Thomas P. Russell & Jianjun Wang, 2025. "Sandwiching of MOF nanoparticles between graphene oxide nanosheets among ice grains," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-12, December.
    9. Sang Yup Lee & Minseong Kim & Tae Kyung Won & Seung Hyuk Back & Youngjoo Hong & Byeong-Su Kim & Dong June Ahn, 2022. "Janus regulation of ice growth by hyperbranched polyglycerols generating dynamic hydrogen bonding," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    10. Conghui Tian & Lingxiao Shen & Chenjia Gong & Yunxia Cao & Qinghua Shi & Gang Zhao, 2022. "Microencapsulation and nanowarming enables vitrification cryopreservation of mouse preantral follicles," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-16, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-58962-5. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.