A brief overview of changes in mechanical properties of solids driven by the chemistry of point defects was given. Two major types of effects were considered: direct effects caused by non-interacting point defects and collective effects induced by interacting point defects. The first group included (1) changes in the linear dimensions of a solid in response to a change in defect concentration and (2) stress induced due to an inhomogeneous distribution of point defects, a so-called chemical stress. The second group included (1) defect order–disorder transitions accompanied by self-strain and (2) deviations from linear elastic behavior due to the dissociation/association of point defects. All of the above became important if the concentration of point defects was very high (above 1021/cm3). These effects could lead to significant anomalies in mechanical properties: spontaneous stress and strain and changes in elastic constants. These effects could significantly affect the application of materials with a large concentration of point defects.

Mechanical Properties and Defect Chemistry. I.Lubomirsky: Solid State Ionics, 2006, 177[19-25], 1639-42