SOLUTE EFFECTS IN GRAIN-BOUNDARY ENGINEERING

One of the most commonly overlooked parameters in grain boundary engineering initiatives is solute-interface interactions involving solute concentrations typically in the ppm range. In this work, experimental evidence is presented that demonstrates the significant effect of such interactions upon (1) the specific properties desired of ''special'' grain boundaries (e.g. resistance to corrosion) and (2) the resultant grain boundary character distribution following materials processing. Regarding the latter, it is shown how solute-grain boundary interactions impact significantly on the delicate balance of geometric (crystallographic), energetic, and kinetic influences, which ultimately dictates the grain boundary character distribution of engineered materials.