Crystal Size Distribution

Abstract

The crystalline solid state is unique in that it exhibits properties related to form (i.e., size and shape) and composition. The processes employed for manufacturing crystalline solid materials in bulk invariably yield a distribution of characteristic shapes and sizes of the resultant solid-phase material. The crystal size distribution is an important property influencing the end-use applications as well as interacting strongly with the crystallization process itself. It is often necessary to describe quantitatively the crystal size distributions as well as to predict it a priori from the process simulation analysis. If all crystals produced have roughly similar shape, it is often adequate to describe the material by a one dimensional crystal size distribution. In this chapter, possible empirical, one-dimensional functions suitable for such use are first discussed. A unified theory is then presented for multidimensional crystal distributions, which can be used to analyze and predict such distributions in certain process configurations.