Lecture 2- Crystal Structure of Materials

how does crystallography contribute to predicting and designing material properties?

Crystal structure directly impacts material properties like strength, conductivity and transparency. Knowledge in crystallography enables the prediction of these properties, which is crucial for material design and engineering

What are the distinctions between Short-Range-Order (SRO) and Long-Range Order (LRO) in crystal structures?

SRO is when the arrangement of atoms extends only to their immediate neighbours, while LRO is observed in crystalline materials, where atoms form a regular, repetitive, grid-like pattern extending over much larger length scales

What is a lattice in crystallography?

A lattice is a set of points arranged in a repeating pattern where each point’s surroundings are identical. It’s a mathematical construct used to describe the spatial arrangements of atoms in a crystal

Why are Bravais lattices important in crystallography?

Bravais lattices are unique three-dimensional configurations of lattice points that serve as a foundation for a describing the structure of crystalline materials. understanding them is essential for analysing and classifying crystal structures

What is the significance of the correlation between atomic radius and lattice parameter?

This correlation helps in understanding how atoms are arranged within a crystal lattice. Its crucial for predicting material properties and behaviours.

What is the importance of packing factor in crystallography?

Packing factor, or packing efficiency, quantifies how efficiently atoms or molecules occupy space within a crystal structure. It is a crucial parameter for understanding the physical properties and behaviour of materials at the atomic level.