<title>Formation of gel inclusions in potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystals growing in tetramethoxysilane gel by temperature decrease method</title>

Abstract

The paper presents the investigations of gel inclusion formation in potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystals grown in tetramethoxysilane (TMS) gel in relation to growth conditions i.e. KDP concentration in gel, gel density and cooling rate. The experiments show that increasing of KDP concentration in gels with the same density promotes formation of gel inclusions in KDP crystals. Increasing of gel density causes greater gel contamination in crystals even if KDP concentration in gels is maintained at the same level. Formation of gel inclusions in crystals may be suppressed if the temperature of gels is decreased very slowly. It was concluded that high supersaturation of solution in gel during nucleation and growth is responsible for the formation of gel inclusions.