Search

While zeolites are industrially relevant as molecular sieves and catalysts, their growth mechanisms remain widely debated. Here, Rimer and colleagues probe the crystallization pathway of zeolite LTA with spatiotemporal resolution, identifying a distinctive nonclassical pathway, and demonstrating that growth is highly dependent on synthetic conditions.

Crystal engineering of nanosized and hierarchical zeolites may improve the mass transport properties of materials at the nanoscale in various applications. In this Review, synthetic methods used to prepare different classes of zeolitic materials are summarized, with a focus on nucleation and growth mechanisms. Experimental and computational advances, as well as future challenges in the field, are discussed.

Control of crystallisation is important in biogenic and pathological biomineralisation. Here, the authors report on phosphorylated molecules that mimic proteins which can suppress calcium oxalate nucleation and irreversibly inhibit crystal growth in ways that significantly deviate from commonly investigated carboxylate-rich modulators of biomineralization.

Like citrate, the molecule hydroxycitrate is shown to inhibit growth of the crystal that is the principal component of kidney stones, suggesting that hydroxycitrate could be another treatment for kidney stone disease.

To overcome mass transport limitations in zeolite-catalysed reactions, scientists must often resort to hierarchical or nanosized zeolites; however, the synthesis of such materials remains challenging. Here the authors disclose a one-pot method for the preparation of Si-zoned MFI-type catalysts with improved diffusion properties for the methanol-to hydrocarbon reaction.

Modifiers of diverse materials exhibit structures or compositions that differ from a solute molecule but often contain similar functional motifs that facilitate molecular recognition for modifier binding to crystal surfaces. Here the authors examine the intrinsic capability of tautomers, or structural isomers, to operate as crystal growth inhibitors.’

Inhibitor pairs that suppress the crystallization of haematin, which is a part of malaria parasites’ physiology, show unexpected antagonism due to attenuation of step pinning by kink blockers.

Direct visualization of a solid-state transformation between two extra-large pore siliceous zeolites reveals a discrete sequence of bond breakage and formation steps at the atomic scale.

Nanosized zeolites enable better catalytic performance; however, their synthesis is non-trivial. Here, a simple treatment is presented that enables the growth of nanosized fins on zeolites that act as pseudo-nanoparticles, reducing deactivation rates for methanol-to-hydrocarbon catalysis.

Magnetite crystals form by the aggregation and subsequent merger of crystalline precursors, which can be interpreted in terms of colloidal assembly.

The identification of organic structure-directing agents capable of tailoring the physicochemical properties of microporous materials has remained a challenge. Now, a unique methodology to design organic mimics of reaction intermediates provides a route to optimize the selectivity of zeolite catalysts.

Organic biocrystals play crucial roles in biological processes and diseases, yet the molecular mechanisms of their formation remain poorly understood. Here, the authors reveal that hematin crystal nucleation in malaria parasites follows a nonclassical pathway and can be modulated by solute-modifier interactions, offering a strategy to control crystal formation in a variety of systems, including for malaria treatment.

Organic solvents are used to produce high-value crystals such as pharmaceuticals, organic semiconductors, and optical devices, but our understanding of the fundamental processes of crystal growth from organic solutions is limited. Here, the authors use time-resolved in situ atomic force microscopy to show a nonclassical, dual growth mode of etioporphyrin I crystals from mesoscopic solute-rich clusters.

Experiments under biomimetic conditions in vitro reveal molecular-level mechanisms of action of antimalarial drugs via irreversible inhibition of hematin crystal growth and crystalline hematin sequestration by P. falciparum.