Multifaceted Roles\nof Additives in Regulating Crystal\nGrowth: A Case of Acephate

Regulating crystal growth to obtain crystals with different\nsizes\nis of great importance for both natural and industrial processes.\nIn this study, the complex influence of additives on crystal growth\nwas systematically investigated using acephate as a model compound.\nThe kinetics of crystal growth in the presence of various small molecule\nadditives, including cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), acetamide,\nthioacetamide, and benzoic acid, were analyzed. The effects of these\nadditives on solubility, morphology, polymorphism, and crystal growth\nwere examined. Additives can significantly affect the growth rate,\nacting as both accelerants and inhibitors. CTAB and benzoic acid had\nthe ability to inhibit it; thioacetamide had the ability to promote\nit, while acetamide had no effect. Moreover, molecular simulations\nwere adopted to propose mechanisms for the different regulating effects\nof the different additives. Also, the mechanism of growth regulation\nwas proposed based on simulations and experiments. Additives affected\ncrystal growth by impacting many kinds of interactions in the solution\nbody and crystal surfaces.