Microscopic Kinetics Pathway of Salt Crystallization in Graphene Nanocapillaries

The fundamental understanding of crystallization, in terms microscopic kinetic and thermodynamic details, remains a key challenge the physical sciences. Here, by using situ graphene liquid cell transmission electron microscopy, we reveal atomistic mechanism NaCl crystallization from solutions confined within cells. We find that rock salt forms with peculiar hexagonal morphology. also see emergence transitory graphitelike phase, which may act as an intermediate two-step pathway. With aid density functional theory calculations, propose these observations result delicate balance between substrate-solute interaction thermodynamics under confinement. Our results highlight impact confinement on both kinetics offering new insights into heterogeneous potential avenue for materials design.