Quasicrystals in a sentence

The first type, polygonal (dihedral) quasicrystals, have an axis of 8, 10, or 12-fold local symmetry (octagonal, decagonal, or dodecagonal quasicrystals, respectively).

The icosahedral order is in equilibrium in the liquid state for the stable quasicrystals, whereas the icosahedral order prevails in the undercooled liquid state for the metastable quasicrystals.

Computer modeling, based on the existing theories of quasicrystals, however, greatly facilitated this task.

Except for the Al–Li–Cu system, all the stable quasicrystals are almost free of defects and disorder, as evidenced by X-ray and electron diffraction revealing peak widths as sharp as those of perfect crystals such as Si.

However, in 1987, the first of many stable quasicrystals were discovered, making it possible to produce large samples for study and opening the door to potential applications.

Over the years, hundreds of quasicrystals with various compositions and different symmetries have been discovered.

Quasicrystals are most famous for their ability to show five-fold symmetry, which is impossible for an ordinary periodic crystal (see crystallographic restriction theorem ).

Quasicrystals, first discovered in 1982, are quite rare in practice.

Quasicrystals had been investigated and observed earlier, citation but, until the 1980s, they were disregarded in favor of the prevailing views about the atomic structure of matter.

Quasicrystals, on the other hand, are composed of more than one type of unit, so, instead of lattices, quasilattices must be used.

Shechtman had one of these pans. citation The Nobel citation said that quasicrystals, while brittle, could reinforce steel "like armor".

Shechtman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2011 for his work on quasicrystals.

The International Union of Crystallography has redefined the term "crystal" to include both ordinary periodic crystals and quasicrystals ("any solid having an essentially discrete diffraction diagram" citation ).

The low heat conductivity of some quasicrystals makes them good for heat insulating coatings.

The origin of the stabilization mechanism is different for the stable and metastable quasicrystals.

There are different methods to construct model quasicrystals.

Undoubtedly, the quasicrystals are no longer a unique form of solid; they exist universally in many metallic alloys and some polymers.