Publisher's Synopsis
Molecular assembly and dynamics at crystal surfaces in complex molecular systems are of central importance in fields as diverse as geochemistry, crystal growth, structural biology, corrosion science, pharmaceutical production, and food science. In all of these areas, understanding surface morphology and dynamics requires consideration of multiple chemical species, molecular anisotropy, impurities, and the interface between fluid and solid phases. This book, first published in 2001, explores common themes in the growth and dissolution of inorganic, organic, and macromolecular crystals and films produced both through natural and synthetic processes. It focuses on the physical and structural studies of these processes and includes the results of atomic-force microscopy investigations of surface dynamics. A second, more recent experimental method for determining the atomic structure of crystal surfaces, surface X-ray diffraction, is also featured here. Topics include: inorganic systems - surface morphology and step kinetics; fluid-mineral interfaces; growth of organic films and supramolecular solids; biogenic and biomimetic systems; growth and morphology at the oxide solution interface; macromolecules and inorganic systems - impurities and defects.
