Crystallography of Modular Materials

This book offers a groundbreaking exploration of modular crystallography, presenting systematic theories and practical applications for understanding crystalline materials.

This comprehensive text is designed for scientists looking to explore crystalline materials from a unique and inspiring perspective. Crystallography of Modular Materials presents the first systematic theoretical and illustrative approach to crystalline structures constructed from modules. It serves as an essential resource in the rapidly evolving field of modular crystallography, bridging theories and applications in a cohesive manner.

Molecules serve as the fundamental modules from which molecular crystalline structures are derived. In contrast, many inorganic structures consist of infinite arrays of atoms, often described using surrogate modules such as coordination polyhedra. Recent research has shifted focus towards complex modules, which provide a systematic framework for describing polytypes and homologous/polysomatic series. This innovative representation is crucial for modeling unknown structures and comprehending nanoscale defects and intergrowths in materials.

The Order/Disorder (OD) theory plays a pivotal role in developing a systematic understanding of polytypism, addressing structures characterized by both ordered and disordered stacking of layers. The book also delves into the challenges posed by twinning at the unit-cell and micro-scale, which complicates computer-based methods of crystal structure determination. By developing the theory of twinning and including practical examples, Crystallography of Modular Materials transforms these challenges into valuable insights for deciphering crystal structures. This work unifies results previously scattered across various journals and papers over the past two decades, making it a significant contribution to the field.