Crystals are everywhere: in rocks, in everyday products, and even in the devices we use. Their ordered atomic architecture gives rise to striking shapes and a wide range of properties, from dazzling brilliance to remarkable mechanical strength.
In our group, we zoom in on the very first moments of a crystal’s life: nucleation and growth. We study how inorganic crystals such as hydrated salts, double salts and composite crystals—emerge and evolve from solutions, and how factors like additives, ions mixture , spatial confinement, and porous materials steer these processes. We are particularly intrigued by how complex ion mixtures influence nucleation and growth, a key open question in modern crystallization science.
Our ultimate goal is to understand and control crystal morphology. This knowledge underpins advances in fields as diverse as food science, the preservation of cultural heritage, civil engineering, and thermal energy storage—where tailoring crystallization can make the difference between failure and functionality.
Contact : Prof. Noushine Shahidzadeh (n.shahidzadeh@uva.nl)
Left:
Self-amplifying crystallization produces a Christmas tree of salt – Physics World
Qazi, M. J., et al. “Salt creeping as a self-amplifying crystallization process.” Science advances 5.12 (2019): eaax1853.
Right:
https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/salt-crystal-grows-legs-to-avoid-slippery-surface/4012469.article
Salim, Herish, et al. “Self-lifting NaCl crystals.” The journal of physical chemistry letters 11.17 (2020): 7388-7393.