Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
This paper describes the current experimental knowledge base concerning the geometry and property relationships at the gram boundary plane. In order to analyse the data the interface-plane scheme is used, and its application is described here. The most important points to emerge from the data are that particular boundary properties - energy, mobility, segregation, precipitation and cracking - correlate with boundary plane types. Recent data illustrating the high occurrence of asymmetrical tilt grain boundaries and importance of low-index grain boundary planes are discussed in more detail.