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Titania single crystals with a curved surface

Author

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  • Shuang Yang

    (Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology)

  • Bing Xing Yang

    (Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Centre for Computational Chemistry and Research Institute of Industrial Catalysis, East China University of Science and Technology)

  • Long Wu

    (Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology)

  • Yu Hang Li

    (Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology)

  • Porun Liu

    (Centre for Clean Environment and Energy, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University)

  • Huijun Zhao

    (Centre for Clean Environment and Energy, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University)

  • Yan Yan Yu

    (Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Centre for Computational Chemistry and Research Institute of Industrial Catalysis, East China University of Science and Technology)

  • Xue Qing Gong

    (Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Centre for Computational Chemistry and Research Institute of Industrial Catalysis, East China University of Science and Technology)

  • Hua Gui Yang

    (Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology
    Centre for Clean Environment and Energy, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University)

Abstract

Owing to its scientific and technological importance, crystallization as a ubiquitous phenomenon has been widely studied over centuries. Well-developed single crystals are generally enclosed by regular flat facets spontaneously to form polyhedral morphologies because of the well-known self-confinement principle for crystal growth. However, in nature, complex single crystalline calcitic skeleton of biological organisms generally has a curved external surface formed by specific interactions between organic moieties and biocompatible minerals. Here we show a new class of crystal surface of TiO2, which is enclosed by quasi continuous high-index microfacets and thus has a unique truncated biconic morphology. Such single crystals may open a new direction for crystal growth study since, in principle, crystal growth rates of all facets between two normal {101} and {011} crystal surfaces are almost identical. In other words, the facet with continuous Miller index can exist because of the continuous curvature on the crystal surface.

Suggested Citation

  • Shuang Yang & Bing Xing Yang & Long Wu & Yu Hang Li & Porun Liu & Huijun Zhao & Yan Yan Yu & Xue Qing Gong & Hua Gui Yang, 2014. "Titania single crystals with a curved surface," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 5(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:5:y:2014:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms6355
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6355
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