crystallized

Crystallized describes a substance that has formed crystals or has undergone crystallization. In this state the material shows a regular, repeating arrangement of its atoms or molecules, known as a crystal lattice. This contrasts with amorphous solids, where long-range order is absent.

Crystallization is a phase transition from a solution, melt, or gas to a solid crystal. It typically begins with nucleation, the formation of a small crystalline seed, followed by growth as more molecules attach to the lattice. Supersaturation or supercooling provides the thermodynamic drive for the process.

Common methods to induce crystallization include cooling a saturated solution, evaporating solvent, precipitating from solution, or allowing slow diffusion of one solvent into another. Crystal size and quality depend on the rate of nucleation and growth; slower processes usually yield larger, purer crystals.

Crystals can be single crystals with a continuous lattice or polycrystalline aggregates made of many grains. The arrangement of the crystal lattice, including unit cell parameters, determines properties such as melting point, hardness, and optical behavior. Impurities can disrupt crystallization or become incorporated into the lattice.

Applications span chemical and pharmaceutical purification, growth of semiconductor crystals, and food production (for example, sugar and salt crystals). Crystallization is also a key concept in crystallography, the study of crystal structures, and in materials science and geology.