Crystal nucleation and motion in an undercooled binary solution

• Manifestation of a crystal growth instability in solution crystallization.
• First demonstration of crystal motion propelled by Marangoni flow.
• Successful modeling based on competing Marangoni-type force and viscos drag force.

The article describes a previously unknown phenomenon in which crystals forming in an undercooled binary solution undergo a rapid motion upon nucleation. The motion appears to be of Marangoni-type and is driven by sharp concentration gradients that develop in the vicinity of the crystal/solution interface. Our model predicts that the crystal experiences rapid acceleration immediately upon its nucleation in the solution.