Phase Transitions at Internal Interfaces

Abstract

ABSTRACTInterfaces often undergo phase transitions even though nothing special is happening to the bulk solid. These transitions are possible in any internal interface, such as a grain boundary, an interphase boundary, a stacking fault, or an antiphase boundary. As for bulk solids, interface transitions may be defined from a thermodynamic point of view. When distinct interfacial phases coexist, interfacial phase diagrams are useful in visualizing thermodynamic data. Various classes of these transitions will be discussed in general and then illustrated with examples from recent work on models and experimental systems.