Definition
Mineral particles less than 0.1 µm are a vital component of geochemical cycling in the Earth surface systems. Particles in this size range are generally termed “nanoparticles”; nanocrystals are nanoparticles that exhibit long-range structural order. Their small size implies that they may be relatively mobile in natural systems, as well as more chemically labile than large crystals. They have recently come to the forefront of material science, with new evidence that the properties of some materials are a strong function of particle size, particularly at the nanometer scale.
Nanocrystals are characterized by higher surface strain and disorder, higher surface reactivity, and differences in reaction kinetics compared to larger crystals of the same composition. These properties make them important reactive agents in natural systems, especially given that minerals in surface and near-surface environments are typically smaller and more highly disordered than minerals crystallized...
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Glasauer, S. (2011). Nanocrystals, Microbially Induced. In: Reitner, J., Thiel, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geobiology. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9212-1_155
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9212-1_155
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