ABSTRACT
I. Introduction 414
II. Theoretical Background 415 A. Nucleation 416 B. Crystal growth 417 C. Flocculation 417 D. Aging: Ostwald ripening and solution-mediated phase trans-
formation 418
III. Formation and Transformation of Ionic Precipitates from Electrolyte Solutions 419 A. Formation and transformation of amorphous precursor phases 420 B. Nucleation, crystal growth, and solution-mediated phase trans-
formation of crystal hydrates 422 C. Control of crystallization by additives 426
IV. Crystallization in Confined Spaces: Emulsions and Microemulsions 434 A. Emulsions: induced crystallization at the oil/water interface 434 B. Crystallization in microemulsions 437
References 445
I. INTRODUCTION Methods of thermal analysis date back to the beginning of the 20th century, but only recently, as advanced equipment has made the task of measurement simpler and more rapid, have they become an essential part of the characterization of inorganic and organic compounds. One of the earliest applications was as a tool in phase analysis. In his classical work, Duval [1] gives a compilation of methods suggested for automatic thermogravimetric analysis and describes and evaluates thermolytic curves of some 1200 inorganic compounds. Several excellent monographs describing modern methods of thermal analysis and their application have been published [2,3], along with comprehensive reviews on the thermochemistry of organic, organometallic, and inorganic compounds, including relevant thermodynamic parameters extracted from calorimetric measurements [4,5].
