Crystallization (redirected from crystallisation)

Crystallization

The formation of a solid from a solution, melt, vapor, or a different solid phase. Crystallization from solution is an important industrial operation because of the large number of materials marketed as crystalline particles. Fractional crystallization is one of the most widely used methods of separating and purifying chemicals. In fractional crystallization it is desired to separate several solutes present in the same solution. This is generally done by picking crystallization temperatures and solvents such that only one solute is supersaturated and crystallizes out. By changing conditions, other solutes may be crystallized subsequently. Repeated crystallizations are necessary to achieve desired purities when many inclusions are present or when the solid solubility of other solutes is significant. For a discussion of crystallization in glass, a supercooled melt. Polymer crystals obtained from solutions are used to study the properties of these crystals, while crystallization of polymer melts dramatically influences polymer properties.