Crystal growth in solution under static conditions

摘要

A method for growing crystals in solution is suitable for the rapid, controlled and effective preparation of crystals of large dimensions from a solution supersaturated with a compound. The crystal growth is carried out under static conditions. To do this: the growth is performed in a crystallization chamber kept at a constant temperature Tc, which chamber is in fluid communication with a saturation chamber at a temperature Ts, similarly constant and different from Tc, with solubility of the compound at the temperature Ts greater than the solubility of the compound at the temperature Tc. A continuous circulation of the solution between the crystallization and saturation chambers is established, thus maintaining a constant supersaturation rate within the crystallization chamber. Furthermore, the circulating solution is subjected to a treatment for eliminating and inhibiting the formation of aggregates, enabling the nucleation of parasitic crystallites to be inhibited.

主权项

1. A method of preparing a crystal based on a compound (C), by crystal growth in solution, the method comprising:
providing a crystallization system comprising:
a solution (S) supersaturated with said compound (C),a crystallization chamber, in fluid communication witha saturation chamber, said saturation chamber including a source of compound (C) in the form of a feeder substance; maintaining a constant crystallization temperature (Tc) in the crystallization chamber and a constant saturation temperature (Ts) in the saturation chamber, wherein Tc is different from Ts and the solubility of the compound (C) in the solution (S) at the temperature Ts is greater than the solubility of the compound (C) in the solution (S) at the temperature Tc; circulating solution (S) in a continuous flow circuit between the saturation chamber and the crystallization chamber, wherein the solution is circulated at a substantially constant flow rate; and carrying out the crystal growth within the crystallization chamber, while maintaining the constant crystallization temperature Tc, the constant saturation temperature Ts, and the substantially constant flow rate, in order to maintain a constant rate of supersaturation within the crystallization chamber during the crystal growth.