Control of polymorphism in coronene by the application of magnetic fields

TL;DR

This paper reports the first crystallization of a new polymorph of coronene using magnetic fields, revealing a more stable form with altered properties, achieved through a novel magnetic field-assisted growth method.

Contribution

It introduces a magnetic field-assisted crystal growth method to control polymorphism in coronene, discovering a new stable beta-form with unique properties.

Findings

Larger crystals grown in 1 T magnetic field

Identification of a new beta-coronene polymorph

Altered electronic, optical, and mechanical properties

Abstract

Coronene, a polyaromatic hydrocarbon, has been crystallized for the first time in a different polymorph using a crystal growth method that utilizes magnetic fields to access a unit cell configuration that was hitherto unknown. Crystals grown in magnetic field of 1 T are larger, have a different appearance to those grown in zero field and retain their structure in ambient conditions. We identify the new form, beta-coronene, as the most stable at low temperatures. As a result of the new supramolecular configuration we report significantly altered electronic, optical and mechanical properties.