Amorfinen

Amorfinen is a term used to describe substances that lack long-range crystalline order. In materials science, amorphous materials—often referred to by the plural Amorfinen in some languages—include glasses, many polymers, gels and metallic glasses. They are defined by a disordered arrangement of atoms or molecules, without a repeating lattice. Despite this, they may exhibit short-range order and, in some cases, weak medium-range order. Their macroscopic properties are typically isotropic.

The absence of a crystalline lattice means amorphous materials do not display sharp, well-defined diffraction peaks and do not have a single melting point. Instead, many undergo a glass transition, a gradual change from a rigid, glassy state to a softer, more liquid-like state at a characteristic temperature Tg. Their mechanical and thermal behavior can differ significantly from crystalline counterparts, often showing greater versatility in processing but sometimes reduced stiffness or toughness.

Common categories of Amorfinen include inorganic glasses such as silica glass, borosilicate glasses, and specialized ceramics; organic glasses such as amorphous polymers (for example polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate)); and metallic glasses formed by rapid cooling of molten alloys. Natural examples include obsidian and other naturally occurring glasses.

Formation and processing typically involve rapid cooling (quenching) from the liquid state, vapor deposition, or certain pressure-induced paths that bypass crystallization. Applications span architecture, packaging and optics for glasses; plastics and coatings for polymers; and engineering components and equipment where unique magnetic, corrosion-resistant or high-strength properties are advantageous in metallic glasses.

Etymology stems from Greek a- “without” and morphe “form.” See also amorphous silicon, amorphous carbon, glass science.