Crystallization

What is a crystal or crystalline solid?

Solid material whose constituent atoms,

molecules, or ions are arranged in an orderly
repeating pattern extending in all three
spatial dimensions.

The scientific study of crystals and crystal

formation is known as crystallography.
Crystallisation?

Process of formation of solid crystal

Precipitating from a solution, melt or

more rarely deposited directly from a gas.

Natural or Artificial.
Process of crystallisation?

Nucleation

Crystal
growth
Nucleation- formation of nuclei

The solute molecules dispersed in the solvent start to

gather into clusters

When the clusters are not stable, they redissolve.

The clusters need to reach a critical size in order to

become stable- NUCLEI.

Such critical size is dictated by the operating conditions

(temperature, supersaturation, etc.).
Crystal Growth

Subsequent growth of the nuclei to achieve the critical cluster size.

Nucleation and growth occur simultaneously while the supersaturation exists.

Supersaturation is the driving force of the crystallization.

Depending upon the conditions, either nucleation or growth may be predominant

over the other - crystals with different sizes and shapes are obtained.

Control of crystal size and shape constitutes one of the main challenges in
industrial manufacturing, such as for pharmaceuticals.

Once the supersaturation is exhausted, the solid-liquid system reaches equilibrium and
the crystallization is complete
 Nucleation of crystals Crystal growth

Irregular grains form as crystals grow together Grain boundaries as seen in a microscope
Types?

Natural

Artificial
Examples from food industry

Salt

Sugar

Lactose
Salt

Solar salt
 Rock salt

Geologically: Halite.

Reaching the deposit:

Drilling and Blasting.

Deposit: Chip/ Blast into

small pieces.

Brought to surface.
 Solar salt

Sea Water: 3.5%.

Brought to condensers.

CaCO3 crystallizes

Brought to surface.
 Evaporated salt

Refined salt

Reaching the deposit: Drilling and

Blasting.

Deposit: solution mining.

Brine brought to surface.

Water is evaporated.
Sugar

Source: Juice boiled Crystals are

Sucrose crystals
sugarcane, sugar under vacuum- separated by
grow.
beet Vacuum pans. centifugation.
Lactose

Crystals- Treatment with

Solution is
Source: Whey separated by activated
cooled.
Centrifugation. charcoal

Whey
evaporated to Washing; re-
Lactose crystals
supersaturated dissolving; re-
grow.
solution (60%- crystallization.
73%)
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