New type of crystal expels liquid when squeezed
Accidental discovery uncovers crystalline solid with very unusual property
A new type of crystalline solid changes phase and reversibly releases one equivalent of solvent when heated or put under pressure. Its ‘a unique behaviour we haven’t seen in any previous materials,’ says Michael Zdilla of Temple University in the US, part of a team that discovered the property by accident. ‘Accidents are, in my experience, the most exciting thing that can happen in science.’