Nanocrystal growth

Addition or rearrangement of material in a nanocrystal. Solute addition, Ostwald ripening and oriented attachment are distinct mechanisms that can coexist.

Preferential adsorption of charged species onto particular crystal faces, reducing their normal incorporation rates. Both solution speciation and actual surface charge matter; crystallographic polarity alone does not fix adsorption selectivity.

Selection of unequal growth along otherwise equivalent directions, through defects, selective adsorption, kinetics or external asymmetry. A lower-symmetry shape need not imply a different bulk lattice.

Joining of crystallites after compatible crystallographic alignment. Elimination of exposed interface drives the process; incomplete rotation and healing can leave defects.

Growth by incorporation of dissolved individual atoms, ions or molecular units into a crystal, driven by supersaturation and limited by transport or attachment kinetics.