Amorphous OH group

The OH group is also known as the hydroxyl group. It consists of one oxygen atom and one hydrogen atom. It makes molecules polar and hydrophilic. This allows hydrogen bonds to form. Amorphous means that a solid does not have a regular crystal structure. The atoms are arranged irregularly. There is only short-range order, but no long-range order. 

When we talk about amorphous OH groups, we usually mean OH groups within an amorphous material. Examples include amorphous silicates, glasses, polymers and amorphous carbohydrates. In these materials, many OH groups are distributed in a spatially disordered manner. These groups influence the wettability, moisture absorption and tendency to agglomerate of powders. Such amorphous, hydroxyl-containing surfaces are important in process engineering because they can significantly alter adsorption, stickiness and, consequently, flow behaviour.