Amorfiset

Amorfiset is a Finnish term used in materials science to describe amorphous materials. These substances lack long-range atomic order, in contrast to crystalline solids that exhibit a repeating lattice. Amorfiset materials may have short-range order, meaning local arrangement of atoms exists, but there is no periodic arrangement on larger scales. The absence of crystalline order leads to characteristic diffuse features in diffraction patterns and often isotropic physical properties.

Formation and types: Amorfiset materials form when liquids are cooled rapidly enough to avoid crystallization, or through deposition and vitrification processes. They include inorganic glasses such as silica glass, metallic glasses (amorphous metals), and organic amorphous polymers like polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate). Some materials can be partially amorphous or become amorphous under specific processing conditions.

Properties and applications: Amorfiset materials typically lack a sharp melting point and instead exhibit a glass transition temperature (Tg). They may be transparent and have good mouldability, but can be brittle. Applications span glass for windows and optics, coatings, thin-film electronics (for example, amorphous silicon layers), polymer-based packaging, and specialized metallic glasses used in transformer cores and sporting goods. Characterization commonly uses X-ray or neutron diffraction to detect diffuse scattering and differential scanning calorimetry to measure Tg.