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Nature Chemistry (16 May 2008) | doi:10.1038/nchem.12

Solid-state synthesis: Keeping your cool

Neil Withers

Throwing chemicals in a crucible, heating them, and seeing what comes out is all very well, but there are more rational and subtle approaches to solid-state synthesis that might uncover new compounds. Many inorganic compounds can exist in a variety of structural forms — polymorphs — but some of them are extremely difficult to make because they are only metastable under accessible conditions.