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Kinetics and mechanism of crystallization
Chemical Engineering Science, 1969, Vol. 24, p. 62 1.
Pergamon Press.
Printed in Great Britain.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..*.....................
R. F. STRICKLAND-CONSTABLE: Kin&a and Meen. Academic Press 1968.347 pp. f4 4s. hatlismaIC_ DESPITEthe enormous number of papers in the literature concerning crystallization the number of books offering a unified treatment of even part of this wide and important field remains small. Dr Strickland-Constable states that his aim has been to write a simple introduction to the kinetics and mechanism of crystallization for research workers and those engaged in the production of crystals. A general introduction is followed by chapters dealing with the nucleation of liquid drops from the vapour and the nucleation of solids. The defect structure of crystals is briefly considered then data on growth and evaporation from the vapour are presented before theories of crystal growth are described. The final chapter, accounting for more than a quarter of the book, is entitled ‘Various Topics’, and the summaries at the end of each chapter are equivalent to more than 10 per cent of the complete text. There are 234 references of which 11 refer to 1965 or later. The book is nicely printed and about 20 typographical errors were noted; at 84s. it is not particularly expensive. Crystallization remains a rather amorphous and intractable subject, and the organisational difficulties involved in
presenting it coherently are considerable. Despite numerous well written sections the overall effect of the new book is disappointing, and it sometimes reads as though the final form had been determined by assembling individually complete paragraphs rather than by filling out a definite framework planned at the outset. Cross referencing is facilitated by the division of the text into numerous numbered paragraphs but some of these are so short as to impair the flow of the discussion. The long final chapter is a mixture of general topics and brief sketches of more specialized matters which could have been omitted. For example, one of these sketches concerns polymers and in view of the progress made in the last decade it seems a pity that the interested reader is recommended to look at an article published in 1958 for general references. Likewise the long Appendix dealing with whiskers is based on a 1958 reviewand in a research oriented monograph it is arguable whether work published in 1958 or 1959 should be described as ‘very recent’ as on page 49. To sum up, this book would have made a stronger impression had it been shorter and more effectively arranged
621
D. A. BLACKADDER
Pergamon Press.
Printed in Great Britain.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..*.....................
R. F. STRICKLAND-CONSTABLE: Kin&a and Meen. Academic Press 1968.347 pp. f4 4s. hatlismaIC_ DESPITEthe enormous number of papers in the literature concerning crystallization the number of books offering a unified treatment of even part of this wide and important field remains small. Dr Strickland-Constable states that his aim has been to write a simple introduction to the kinetics and mechanism of crystallization for research workers and those engaged in the production of crystals. A general introduction is followed by chapters dealing with the nucleation of liquid drops from the vapour and the nucleation of solids. The defect structure of crystals is briefly considered then data on growth and evaporation from the vapour are presented before theories of crystal growth are described. The final chapter, accounting for more than a quarter of the book, is entitled ‘Various Topics’, and the summaries at the end of each chapter are equivalent to more than 10 per cent of the complete text. There are 234 references of which 11 refer to 1965 or later. The book is nicely printed and about 20 typographical errors were noted; at 84s. it is not particularly expensive. Crystallization remains a rather amorphous and intractable subject, and the organisational difficulties involved in
presenting it coherently are considerable. Despite numerous well written sections the overall effect of the new book is disappointing, and it sometimes reads as though the final form had been determined by assembling individually complete paragraphs rather than by filling out a definite framework planned at the outset. Cross referencing is facilitated by the division of the text into numerous numbered paragraphs but some of these are so short as to impair the flow of the discussion. The long final chapter is a mixture of general topics and brief sketches of more specialized matters which could have been omitted. For example, one of these sketches concerns polymers and in view of the progress made in the last decade it seems a pity that the interested reader is recommended to look at an article published in 1958 for general references. Likewise the long Appendix dealing with whiskers is based on a 1958 reviewand in a research oriented monograph it is arguable whether work published in 1958 or 1959 should be described as ‘very recent’ as on page 49. To sum up, this book would have made a stronger impression had it been shorter and more effectively arranged
621
D. A. BLACKADDER