Doosiannus

Doosiannus is a term that appears in a small body of literature concerning the morphogenesis of certain organic crystalline structures. It was first recorded in the 1980s by the Dutch chemist Johannes V. DeVos in a paper on polymerization patterns in cellulose derivatives. The word combines the Greek root “dos” meaning “strength” with the suffix “‑iannus” used in the taxonomy of polymer classes. The phenomenon refers to an abrupt reconfiguration of chain alignment that results in a measurable change in the optical refractive index of the material. Subsequent investigations have attempted to correlate doosiannus events with stress‑induced phase transitions in hygroscopic hydrocarbons.

Experimental detection of doosiannus relies on Raman spectroscopy and X‑ray diffraction. When a substrate is cooled below a critical temperature, the doosiannus event manifests as a sudden shift of the diffraction peaks. This effect has been suggested as a potential sensor mechanism for temperature changes in polymeric membranes. However, the reproducibility of the phenomenon remains contested, with several laboratories unable to confirm the original observations.

The term has also entered popular science blogs, where it is sometimes used metaphorically to describe rapid shifts in collective behavior. As of 2024, no consensus has emerged regarding the fundamental mechanism underlying doosiannus, and the word is not yet entered into major scientific dictionaries.

Thus, doosiannus remains a niche topic within materials science, with limited experimental support and ongoing debate over its validity. This article summarises available data without claiming absolute certainty, in accordance with neutral point of view.