(132e) Influence of Modifiers on Solid-Liquid Interfaces in Crystal Growth: Lessons from Microscopy

Crystal growth is facilitated by the dynamic attachment/detachment of growth units on the crystal surface. This process is modulated by factors such as supersaturation, temperature, time, solvent, modifiers, and etc. In particular, the introduction of modifiers allows access to crystallization pathways that generate crystals with various size, morphology, and property. To understand the modes of action of these modifiers, rigorous experimental and computational approaches are employed to elucidate such interfacial dynamics. Specifically, an experimental technique like microscopy can assess ex situ and/or in situ influence of modifiers on the surface. In this work, I shall present insights obtainable from optical and scanning probe microscopy to assess modifier-crystal interactions at interfaces. Two model systems, calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate and their interactions with growth modifiers are presented. To tackle these tasks, combination of optical and atomic force microscopy (AFM) are employed. Specifically, frequency modulation (FM) and contact mode AFM are extensively used to access fluid-exposed crystal interfaces where relevant information on modifier-surface interactions may prove useful to fundamentally understand crystallization.