Formation of an fcc phase through a bcc metastable state in crystallization of charged colloidal particles.
By in situ monitoring structural changes with the reflection spectrometer during the colloidal crystallization, we present direct experimental evidence of liquid-bcc-fcc phase transition in crystallization of charged colloidal particles, as a manifestation of the Ostwald's step rule. In addition, the lifetime of the bcc metastable structure in this system decreases significantly with increasing particle volume fraction, offering a possible explanation for "exceptions" to the step rule.
Xu
Shenghua
S
Key Laboratory of Microgravity, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100190 Beijing, People's Republic of China.
Zhou
Hongwei
H
Sun
Zhiwei
Z
Xie
Jingchang
J