Molecular routes to the formation of ordered inorganic arrays

The controlled morphological tailoring of inorganic crystals to yield a form which favors self-assembly was investigated, with emphasis on the production of solids which express symmetry-related polar faces. Coulombic interactions between opposing polar faces was suggested to promote particle ordering. In pure water, barium sulfate crystals aggregate in a controlled manner via the polar faces. The use of tailor-made, bifunctional linking agents was also explored. Ordered aggregation was also investigated for other crystalline materials.