Israeli Wins Chemistry Nobel for 'Mosaic of Atoms'

Oct. 5, 2011 -- Daniel Shechtman, 70, of the Israel Institute of Technology received the 2011 Nobel Prize in Chemistry today for his discovery of quasicrystals, perfectly ordered materials that never repeat themselves. His discovery on April 8, 1982 countered conventional wisdom as the idea had previously been ruled possible only for geometric shapes in two dimensions, such as Penrose tiles. Today the field of quasicrystals incorporates chemistry, physics, mathematics and material science.

“It’s a great work of discovery, with potential applications that range from light-emitting diodes to improved diesel engines," said Nancy Jackson, president of the American Chemical Society in a statement following the announcement.

"Coming as it does during the International Year of Chemistry, the prize showcases chemistry’s global reach and impact in improving life. Years of hard work and dedication lie behind this Nobel Prize. Great people like Dr. Shechtman inspire us all with their contributions to science and humanity," she added.

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Shechtman's discovery of the secrets of quasicrystals, revolutionized the notion of solid matter.

Quasicrystals, described by the Nobel jury as "a remarkable mosaic of atoms", are patterns that are highly ordered and symmetrical but which do not repeat themselves.

To the untutored eye, they look like abstract Islamic art.

Quasicrystals have been found in the lab and some have been discovered to occur naturally in minerals.

Their closely-packed structure help them strengthen materials, with potential outlets in consumer products such as frying pans and machines such as diesel engines which experience high heat and mechanical stress.

Shechtman's research "has fundamentally altered how chemists conceive of solid matter," the jury said.

His discovery was "extremely controversial," the Nobel committee said, noting that the atoms were "arranged in a manner that was contrary to the laws of nature."

The pattern was "considered just as impossible as creating a football using only six-cornered polygons, when a sphere needs both five and six-cornered polygons."

The Israeli was met with total opposition and even ridiculed by his colleagues, with the head of his laboratory handing him a textbook in crystallography and suggesting he read it.

He was ultimately asked to leave his research group at the US National Institute of Standards and Technology.

"His battle eventually forced scientists to reconsider their conception of the very nature of matter," the jury said.

Shechtman, born in 1941, is currently a professor at Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, where he holds the Philip Tobias Chair.

He will receive the 10 million Swedish kronor ($1.48 million, 1.08 million euros) award at a formal ceremony in Stockholm on December 10, the anniversary of the death of prize creator Alfred Nobel.

-- with content from AFP

IMAGES: nobelprize.org