Chiral Symmetry Breaking During Crystallization: Complete Chiral Purity Induced by Nonlinear Autocatalysis and Recycling
Abstract
We report experimental results that show a large and symmetric population of D and L crystals moving into complete chiral purity, with one of the enantiomers completely disappearing. The results indicate (i) a new symmetry breaking process incompatible with the hypothesis of an initial single chiral phase or “mother crystal,” (ii) that total symmetry breaking and complete chiral purity can be achieved from a system that initially includes both enantiomers, and (iii) that this is achieved through a nonlinear autocatalytic-recycling process.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- February 2005
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.065504
- arXiv:
- arXiv:cond-mat/0407479
- Bibcode:
- 2005PhRvL..94f5504V
- Keywords:
-
- 61.50.-f;
- 82.65.+r;
- Crystalline state;
- Surface and interface chemistry;
- heterogeneous catalysis at surfaces;
- Condensed Matter - Other
- E-Print:
- 5 pages, 4 figures, Added references