Zeitschrift für Kristallographie – Crystalline Materials facts for kids

Zeitschrift für Kristallographie – Crystalline Materials is a monthly scientific journal. This means it's like a special magazine for scientists. It publishes articles that have been checked by other experts (this is called peer-reviewed). The journal is written in English.

It focuses on crystallography, which is the study of crystals. This includes both natural crystals and ones made by people. The main editor of the journal is Rainer Pöttgen from the University of Münster.

The journal started a long time ago in 1877. Its first name was Zeitschrift für Krystallographie und Mineralogie. It was founded by a scientist named Paul Heinrich von Groth. He was the editor for 44 years! The journal has changed its name a few times. Its current name, Zeitschrift für Kristallographie – Crystalline Materials, was adopted in 2010.

The Journal's History

How It All Started

This important journal began in 1877. It was first published in German. Paul Heinrich von Groth started it and was its editor until 1920. Groth was a very important scientist. He became the first Professor of Mineralogy at the University of Strasbourg in 1872.

He helped us understand a lot about mineralogy (the study of minerals) and crystallography. Later, he also worked at the Deutsches Museum in Munich.

Paul von Groth's Contributions

Paul von Groth was the first person to sort minerals by what they are made of. He also helped us understand how crystals can have similar shapes even if they are made of different things. This is called isomorphism.

He used information from 55 volumes of the journal. From 1906 to 1919, he wrote a five-book series called Chemische Krystallographie. This huge work listed the features of about 9,000 to 10,000 different crystals known at that time.

Changing Names Over Time

Over the years, the journal has had several different names. Its current name, Zeitschrift für Kristallographie – Crystalline Materials, was chosen in 2010. This name helps tell it apart from another journal. That other journal, Zeitschrift für Kristallographie – New Crystal Structures, started in 1987.

Special Topics and Issues

Since December 2002, the journal has published special issues. These issues focus on one specific topic. For example, they have covered topics like how to analyze complex materials. They have also looked at borates, how to store hydrogen, and how crystals form. Other topics include mathematical crystallography, mineral structures, and tiny crystals called nanocrystallography.

Sometimes, the journal dedicates issues to scientists who have passed away. These issues often focus on the scientist's work. They also describe how that person helped the field of crystallography.

Where to Find This Journal

This journal is listed in many important science databases. This means that scientists around the world can easily find its articles. Some of these databases include Chemical Abstracts Service and Science Citation Index Expanded.

The journal's importance is measured by something called an impact factor. In 2015, its impact factor was 2.560. This means it was ranked 8th out of 26 crystallography journals.