CDS&E: Collaborative Research: An integrated computational suite for large-scale modeling of crystal nucleation

This project is funded by the Condensed-Matter-and-Materials-Theory program in the Division of Materials Research and by the programs in Computational and Data-Enabled Science and Engineering and Process Systems, Reaction Engineering, and Molecular Thermodynamics in the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems.

Crystal nucleation is one of the most ubiquitous processes in nature; it is a phenomenon that also has countless consequences in pharmaceutical, solar energy, and semiconductor manufacturing technologies. Despite its significance, understanding crystal nucleation remains a grand-challenge problem, both for the atomistic-scale spatial resolution required and the widely ranging timescales that are encountered in its analysis.

Compounding these challenges, definitive explanations of the fundamental physical mechanisms at work during nucleation continue to elude researchers. Recent advances in computational algorithms and hardware have created new opportunities for devising practical strategies to further the reliability and impact of molecular modeling as an effective tool to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms underlying crystal nucleation.

Therefore, the collaborative research group behind this proposal identified the need for developing a critical cyber infrastructure that offers (1) the versatility necessary to model crystal nucleation across different materials and crystallization environments, (2) the computational efficiency required to simulate naturally occurring and industrially relevant crystallization processes, and (3) the scalability needed to bridge the gap between simulation predictions and experimental measurements. In addition to pharmaceutical, energy, and semiconductor applications, such an infrastructure will pave the way for understanding polymer-controlled crystallization and biomineralization, will make it possible to develop new aircraft anti-icing strategies, and will facilitate the design of bio-inspired materials.

This research will bring together academic experts in molecular simulation method development and implementation, aiming to deploy an integrated, large-scale open-source computational suite that enables modeling crystal nucleation under realistic conditions. This package will integrate a cohesive set of advanced computational tools through an implementation and distribution of these methods as individual modules of LAMMPS, which allows large-scale applications to a broad range of nucleation problems with state-of-the-art quantum-accurate potentials.

The methodology and software will be validated through (1) examining the role of surface topography on ice nucleation and benchmarking the nucleation efficiency of experimentally identified inorganic ice nucleators, and (2) modeling the nucleation of NaCl and alkaline earth carbonates from aqueous solution. The proposed computational toolkit will enhance current understanding of the thermodynamics and kinetics of nanoscopic crystal nucleation and subsequent crystal growth, with direct applications in surface engineering, reduction of membrane fouling induced by mineral scaling, inorganic mineralization, and materials synthesis.

The products of this research will be made available to the broader scientific community in the form of open-source software. The investigators will engage in outreach efforts by working with high-school students through a Science Olympiad event, EarthDate broadcasts, and Chemistry Club demonstrations. Special efforts will be deployed in areas with a large presence of underserved populations, thus fostering diverse and equitable interest and involvement in STEM disciplines.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.