Quasi-Crystal, Not Quasi-Scientist

Abstract

Materials science investigates the structure and properties of different materials. One of these materials is the crystal. Crystals are solid materials with building blocks (atoms, ions, or molecules) that are arranged in a highly organized manner. Salt, quartz, and diamonds are examples of crystals. In ordinary crystals, these building blocks are organized in a repeating pattern in all directions. In contrast, in special crystals called quasi-crystals, the building blocks are organized in a non-repeating manner. The discovery of quasi-crystals created a revolution in the science of crystallography and changed our most basic definition of a crystal. Since their discovery, many hundreds of quasi-crystals have been found. Some of these quasi-crystals have unique physical properties and are useful for a variety of different applications.