Grain boundary behavior in metallic solid solutions as deduced from diffusion and segregation experiments

Grain boundary diffusion and segregation experiments have been carried out in the same metallic solid solutions by means of radio-isotopes and Auger techniques. It was shown that the mass transport parameters could only be understood by assuming the formation of “2D phases” in “segregated grain boundaries” where the main bonds between atoms were identical to those which limit the bulk solid solubility of the solutes.