In the Sand Hills of north central Nebraska, scientists discovered a new type of quasicrystal with 12-fold symmetry.
What exactly is a Quasicrystal?
- A quasicrystal is a crystal-like substance.
- However, unlike a crystal, which has atoms arranged in a repeating pattern, a quasicrystal has atoms arranged in a pattern that does not repeat itself on a regular basis.
- For a long time, physicists assumed that every crystalline arrangement of atoms must have a pattern that perfectly repeats itself over and over again.
- This changed in 1982, when material scientist Dan Shechtman discovered mathematically regular crystal structures that do not repeat themselves.
How do they come to be?
- In the recent discovery, an electrical discharge triggered the formation of quasicrystals.
- It’s also the first time scientists have discovered a quasicrystal somewhere other than meteorites or nuclear blast debris.
Quasicrystal Applications
- There are no major commercial applications that directly exploit the properties of the quasicrystalline state.
- Quasicrystals form in compounds with high strength and low weight, implying potential applications in aerospace and other industries.
- They have applications in surgical instruments, LED lighting, and nonstick frying pans.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sci-tech/scientists-discover-new-quasicrystal-explained-8440730/#:~:text=Scientists%20have%20discovered%20a%20new,power%20line%20in%20a%20dune.