June 12, 2009

Kahr, Kaminsky, et al. determine structural origin of light polarizing properties of herapathite

A paper by Professor Bart Kahr and members of his research group appeared in this week’s issue of Science, published by the American Associate for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The paper details the crystal structure of herapathite (iodoquinine sulfate), a crystal structure that had remained unknown since the crystalline compound was first discovered in 1852. Herapathite, which functions as a linear dichroic light polarizer, was used to produce the first large-aperture light polarizers, patented as Polaroid in 1929.

Citation: “Herapathite.” Bart Kahr, John Freudenthal, Shane Phillips, and Werner Kaminsky. Science 324 (5933), 1407 (12 June 2009). [DOI: 10.1126/science.1173605]

To view the abstract and full text, please visit: Science Magazine.