Grain Boundaries: Their Microstructure and Chemistry

Over recent years the understanding of grain boundaries, interphase boundaries and free surfaces has advanced greatly, leading to a clear recognition that these discontinuities make a significant contribution to the physical and mechanical properties of materials from multiphase metals and alloys to electronic materials. Grain Boundaries –Their Microstructure and Chemistry discusses the interrelationship between microstructure and chemistry of the grain boundary, with particular emphasis on the influence of the environment (air, liquid and liquid metal) and composition (bulk and impurity). This highly practical volume presents a brief background to interphase and grain boundaries, before considering in detail grain boundary composition and composition changes, and how grain boundary composition affects material properties. Very recent advances in techniques such as electron energy loss spectroscopy, high–resolution transmission electron microscopy and atom probe, and the facinating new insights into grain boundary, microstructure that they have revealed, are also discussed. Grain Boundaries – Their Microstructure and Chemistry is an indispensable text for design and safety engineers in many industries, including power and aerospace, as well as for materials scientists and engineers in academia and research institutes.