Amorphous refers to materials that lack a regular atomic or molecular structure and instead have a more random and disordered arrangement. These materials possess distinct properties and play significant roles in various scientific and technological applications.
Glass is one of the most well-known examples of an amorphous solid. It lacks the repeating lattice structure found in crystalline materials and instead exhibits a disordered arrangement of atoms or molecules. Amorphous metals and certain polymers are also considered amorphous solids.
Amorphous materials have unique properties compared to crystalline ones. For example, they generally lack a distinct melting point and transition from a solid to a liquid over a range of temperatures. Their optical, electrical, and mechanical properties can also differ significantly from those of crystalline materials.