An Overview of Quasicrystals, Their Types, Preparation Methods, Properties

Quasicrystals, unlike crystals that contain regular and repetitive patterns, are composed of regular patterns that are not repetitive. Moreover, the symmetry of quasicrystals in crystals is impossible. For example, ordinary crystals can have triple symmetries from the repetition of a triangle or quadruple symmetries from the repetition of a cube. Quasicrystals are a special type of real crystals that are artificially formed only in laboratories, under certain conditions and temperatures, and it is not possible to form them like the earth. Evidence suggests that quasicrystals can form naturally under conditions contrary to astrophysical laws and remain stable for long periods. Quasicrystals are a group of new materials with unique mechanical, physical, and chemical properties. Among the known properties of these materials are low adhesion and friction, high resistance to corrosion, very high hardness, electrical insulation at low temperatures, and light absorption. Quasicrystals are used in non-stick coatings, nanoparticles, hydrogen storage, reinforcing phases in composites, catalysts, thermal insulation, infrared light absorption, and corrosion protection. In this article, we refer to some of the main topics related to quasi-crystal.