Thermodinamic Interpretaion of the Morphology Individuality of Natural and Synthesized Apatite Single Crystals

Abstract

Specific surface free energy (SSFE) of natural calcium fluorapatite from the same mother rock and synthesized barium chlorapatite from the same lot was determined using contact angle of water and formamide droplets, compared with grown length of crystal face (h). The experimentally obtained SSFEs have different values even for the same index faces of the different crystals. The SSFEs also have wide distribution for each face of crystals. Observed SSFE is considered to be not only the SSFE of ideally flat terrace face, but also includes the contribution of strep free energy. Though the crystals we experimentally obtained were growth form, the relationship between SSFE and h was almost proportional, which looks like satisfying Wulff’s relationship qualitatively. The slope of SSFE versus h line shows the driving force of crystal growth, and the line for larger crystal has less steep slope. The driving force of crystal growth for larger crystal is smaller, which also means that the chemical potential is larger for larger crystal. The individuality of crystals for the same lot can be explained by the difference of the chemical potential of each crystal.