Tunable Fractal Morphogenesis in Reaction-Diffusion Crystallization: From Dendrites to Compact Aggregates.

ABSTRACT: Fractal growth in reaction-diffusion frameworks (RDF) offers a powerful paradigm for understanding self-assembly in chemical and materials systems. However, its connection to diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) remains underexplored. Here, we present the first quantitative demonstration of RDF-driven fractal crystallization of benzoic acid (BA), revealing a direct correlation among fractal dimension, diffusion rate, and gel-matrix chemistry. In gelatin-based systems, BA crystallizes into dendritic structures that conform to classical DLA behavior, with fractal dimensions converging toward ∼1.71 to 1.74 at high supersaturation. Complementary characterization by powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope confirms consistent crystal structure across growth zones, while systemat

SUBMITTER: Moon S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12409535 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature