A rigid material whose structure lacks crystalline periodicity; that is, the pattern of its constituent atoms or molecules does not repeat periodically in three dimensions. In the present terminology amorphous and noncrystalline are synonymous amorphous solid, any noncrystalline solid in which the atoms and molecules are not organized in a definite lattice pattern. Such solids include glass, plastic, and gel. Amorphous solids have two characteristic properties. When cleaved or broken, they produce fragments with irregular, often curved surfaces; and they have poorly defined patterns when exposed to x-rays because their components are not arranged in a regular array. An amorphous, translucent solid is called a glass. If an amorphous solid is maintained at a temperature just below its melting point for long periods of time, the component molecules, atoms, or ions can gradually rearrange into a more highly ordered crystalline form. An amorphous solids journal includes the subject areas like Theoretical Physics and Structural Chemistry.
Related journals of Amorphous Solids
Cluster Science, Structural Chemistry, Solid State Chemistry, Low Temperature Physics, Theoretical Physics, Structural Chemistry & Crystallography Communication