
Dolomite Mystery Cracked: Lab-Grown Crystals Form by Dissolving Defects
Researchers from the University of Michigan and Hokkaido University have solved the two-century Dolomite Problem by showing that dolomite growth is defect-limited and those defects can be dissolved away, mimicking natural weathering. Using atomic-scale simulations and pulsed electron-beam dissolution, they grew dolomite to about 100 nanometers (roughly 300 layers), a dramatic advance from previous attempts. This breakthrough not only explains dolomite abundance in ancient rocks but also offers a new approach to defect-free crystal growth for modern technologies like semiconductors, solar cells, and batteries.

