grain boundaries

Grain boundaries are the interfaces where different crystalline regions, or grains, meet in solid materials. Imagine a mosaic made of different colored tiles; each tile represents a grain with its own unique arrangement of molecules. The boundaries between these tiles are where they connect. These boundaries affect a material’s properties, such as strength, conductivity, and ductility. In metals, for instance, they can impede the movement of dislocations (defects in the crystal structure), which enhances strength. Understanding grain boundaries is crucial in materials science for improving and tailoring material performance in various applications.