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I. TITLE
Non-crystalline Materials and Non-crystalline Solids

II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Non-crystalline materials have recently made an impact on solid state physics that
threatens to relegate the role of the single crystal from its venerable position in this field to that
of a particular, and not very common, example of condensed matter. The discovery that glasses
need not necessarily be insulators, but can be semiconductors and even metals, has opened up a
whole new field of fundamental investigation, in addition to promising a host of possible uses. In
this article, some of the properties of non-crystalline materials will be described, with emphasis
on current and potential applications. A non-crystalline material or solid does not have a definite
geometric or crystalline shape. For instance, common window glass is an amorphous ceramic,
many polymers are amorphous, and even foods such as cotton candy and cotton are amorphous
solids. An amorphous solid is any non-crystalline solid in which the atoms and molecules are not
organized in a definite lattice pattern. Such solids include glass, plastic, and gel. A single crystal
or mono-crystalline solid is a material in which the crystal lattice of the entire sample is
continuous and unbroken to the edges of the sample, with no grain boundaries. They are small or
even microscopic crystals and form during the cooling of many materials. The fundamental
difference between single crystal, polycrystalline and amorphous solids is the length scale over
which the atoms are related to one another by translational symmetry. Single crystals have
infinite periodicity, poly-crystals have local periodicity, and amorphous solids (and liquids) have
no long-range order. Isotropic and anisotropic are two terms that are widely used in material
science and crystallography to explain the atomic orientation, structure, and morphology of
materials. In isotropic materials such as cubic crystals and amorphous materials (ex: glass), the
properties do not change along the direction of the material. In anisotropic materials such as
wood and composites, the properties vary along the directions of the material.
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III. INTRODUCTION
A non-crystalline material or solid does not have a definite geometric or crystalline
shape. It is a solid in which there is no long-term order in the positions of the atoms. Most
classes of solid materials can be found or prepared in an amorphous form. For instance, common
window glass is an amorphous ceramic, many polymers are amorphous, and even foods such as
cotton candy and cotton are amorphous solids. An amorphous solid is any non-crystalline solid
in which the atoms and molecules are not organized in a definite lattice pattern. Such solids
include glass, plastic, and gel.

IV. DISCUSSION
 Non-crystalline Materials

Single Crystals
Single Crystals, ideally have a high degree of order, or regular geometric
periodicity, throughout the entire volume of the material. Single-crystal fibers are
attractive for functional ceramic applications as active devices and are equally important
for structural ceramic components as load bearing applications. A single crystal or mono-
crystalline solid is a material in which the crystal lattice of the entire sample is
continuous and unbroken to the edges of the sample, with no grain boundaries. The
absence of the defects associated with grain boundaries can give mono-crystals unique
properties, particularly mechanical, optical and electrical, which can also be anisotropic,
depending on the type of crystallographic structure. These properties, in addition to
making them precious in some gems, are industrially used in technological applications,
especially in optics and electronics.

Polycrystalline Materials
Polycrystalline materials are composed of individual grains oriented in a random
manner to the loading axis when no texture is present in the material. The size of the
grains is usually much smaller than that of single crystalline specimens, which results in
surface relief that is less pronounced than in single crystals. Polycrystalline materials are
composed of a large number of grains. As mentioned, the lattice arrangement of atoms
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within each grain is nearly identical, but the orientation of the atoms is different for each
adjoining grain. The surface that separates neighboring grains is the grain boundary.
Grain boundaries impede the movement of dislocations and thereby have a strengthening
effect.

Anisotropy X-Ray
The property of substance to exhibit variations in physical properties along
different molecular axes. It is seen in crystals, liquid crystals and, less commonly, in
liquids.

Determination of Crystal Structures

X-ray crystallography is used in many fields of chemistry, mineralogy and
physics. Not only in the so-called crystalline state (ordered position of ions, atoms or
molecules) but also in the amorphous and liquid states that do not have long-order
periodicity. Father and Son Bragg were the first ones that used X-ray diffraction (XRD)
to study the inside of crystals and showed the periodic arrangement of atoms in a crystal.

 Non-crystalline Solids

Single Crystals vs. Polycrystalline materials

The fundamental difference between single crystal, polycrystalline and
amorphous solids is the length scale over which the atoms are related to one another by
translational symmetry ('periodicity' or 'long-range order'). Single crystals have infinite
periodicity, polycrystals have local periodicity, and amorphous solids (and liquids) have
no long-range order.

Isotropy
If the properties (mechanical, physical, thermal and electrical properties) of a
material do not change with different crystallographic orientations, or in other words, the
properties are direction independent, that material is called isotropic. Isotropic crystals
have one refractive index in all directions. Crystals with cubic symmetry and amorphous
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materials such as glasses are regarded as isotropic materials. Examples of cubic crystals
include rock salt and sodium chloride. However, not all properties of cubic crystals are
isotropic. Usually, cubic crystals are isotropic with respect to their electrical conductivity
and pyroelectric effect. However, cubic crystals are not direction independent with
respect to their elastic properties such as stiffness, shear and bulk moduli. Isotropic
crystals are often used for windows and lenses. Plant cell walls are considered to be
isotropic as they are more or less the same everywhere.

Anisotropy
In a single crystal, the physical and mechanical properties often differ with
orientation. It can be seen from looking at our models of crystalline structure that atoms
should be able to slip over one another or distort in relation to one another easier in some
directions than others. When the properties of a material vary with different
crystallographic orientations, the material is said to be anisotropic. The term anisotropic
is used to refer to materials that have atomic arrangements which are direction dependent;
in other words, the physical properties vary along the different directions within the
material. Usually, anisotropic materials are very common in nature than isotropic
materials due to the large variation of atomic orientations. Almost all the crystals except
cubic crystals are considered as anisotropic. Anisotropic crystals have many refractive
indices. Because of that, anisotropic crystals affect the birefringence, optical activity,
dichroism and dispersion of crystals. Birefringence is known as the difference in the
light-transmission of a crystal. Certain crystals such as quarts rotate when the polarized
light passing through them. Such crystals are called optically active crystals. The ability
to absorb electromagnetic radiation along two different vibrational axes is called
dichroism. When the same crystal has differential refraction of a different wavelength of
light, it is called dispersion. Anisotropic crystals are used for many optical applications,
such as polarizers, optical waveplates, wedges etc. Wood and composites are the
common examples of anisotropic materials. In plant cells, the interior part or cytoplasm is
considered as anisotropic due to the presence of intracellular organelles.
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V. CONCLUSION

The absence of the defects associated with grain boundaries can give monocrystals unique
properties, particularly mechanical, optical and electrical, which can also be anisotropic,
depending on the type of crystallographic structure. Polycrystalline or multicrystalline materials,
or polycrystals are solids that are composed of many crystallites of varying size and orientation.
These properties, in addition to making them precious in some gems, are industrially used in
technological applications, especially in optics and electronics. A single crystal or
monocrystalline solid is a material in which the crystal lattice of the entire sample is continuous
and unbroken to the edges of the sample, with no grain boundaries. A non-crystalline material or
solid does not have a definite geometric or crystalline shape. In isotropic materials such as cubic
crystals and amorphous materials (ex: glass), the properties do not change along the direction of
the material. In anisotropic materials such as wood and composites, the properties vary along the
directions of the material.
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VI. Appendices

Anisotropy X-Ray Single crystal

Isotropic Mineral Anisotropic Mineral

VII. References
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Polak, J. (2003). Comprehensive Structural Integrity: Surface Relief at Emerging PSBs in

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Bull, C.L., McMillan, P.L., Soignard, E., Leinenweber, K. (2004). Determination of the crystal
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https://www.nde-ed.org/EducationResources/CommunityCollege/Materials/Structure/
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