A rigorous crystallographic framework was described for the characterization of the interfacial defects which separated crystallographically equivalent or distinct interfacial structures. To this end, the Volterra approach to the characterization of line defects was adapted to bicrystalline media. The defects in the distinct interfacial structure category were considered for materials having the L12 (A3B) structure. The diffusive flux of material which was associated with the motion of such defects was determined and was compared with the fluxes for defects which separated equivalent structures. This was done by modifying a previously developed equation which defined the diffusive flux in terms of the topological parameters of the defect. It was shown that grain boundary dislocations in the distinct category, with in-plane Burgers vectors, might not be glissile and might require a diffusive flux for their motion.

Line Defects Separating Distinct Interfacial Structures - Topological Character and Diffusive Flux Considerations. G.P.Dimitrakopulos, T.Karakostas, J.G.Antonopoulos, R.C.Pond: Interface Science, 1997, 5[1], 35-46