The crystallogenesis is the formation of a Cristal, either in natural environment, or in a synthetic way.

Crystallization is the passage of a disordered state Liquide (compound melted, dissoud in a solvent), gas or solid (glass) in a state ordered solid, controlled by complex kinetic laws. The manufacture of a crystal proceeds under the control of various factors such as the Température, the Pression, the time of evaporation. Germination corresponds to the appearance of a stable crystalline phase starting from a superfused liquid or of a supersaturated solution. The growth is the process which will follow germination and will allow the increase in size of the germs to lead to the crystals. It is characterized by stacking on the surface of the crystal of new particles which are placed in preferential sites.

The majority of the mineral subtances and small the organic molecules crystallize easily and the crystals obtained are in general enough good quality, i.e. without visible defects. On the other hand the large biochemical molecules , like the Protein S, are often very difficult to crystallize. This facility of crystallization strongly depends on the intensity of the interatomic forces (in the case of mineral subtances), intermolecular (subtances organic and biochemical) or intramolecular (biochemical substances).

Experimental techniques of crystallogenesis

• Epitaxy

See too

• Biophysics
• Crystallography

Bonds

• Synthesis of crystals by students