Discovery creates a new paradigm for creating materials from crystals

Look closely enough, and you'll see ingenious patterns everywhere in nature. Scientists and engineers have long understood this, but mimicking Mother Nature in building such patterns— especially highly ordered crystal structure—has proven challenging. Recently, Maria Sushko and Kevin Rosso at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) significantly advanced understanding by clarifying the driving forces behind particle-based crystal growth with their new computational approach. They learned that crystal growth depends on the subtle balance of interactions between atoms, ions, molecules, and particles. Their discovery holds significant promise for creating materials to address energy challenges.