Complexion | Defined by | Congruent | Grain boundary characters (R and n) remain invariant, atomic structure |
transitions | geometry | transition | and composition of the grain boundary core change |
category | | Non-congruent | Grain boundary characters (R and/or n) change |
| | transition | |
| | Structural | Bulk thermodynamic parameters (T, P, μ, etc.) change, interfacial |
| | transition | thermodynamic parameters (R, n, etc.) remain invariant |
| | Faceting | A single complexion decomposes into two complexions, the grain |
| | transition | boundary plane normal n decomposes into n1 and n2 |
| | Dissociation | A single complexion decomposes into two complexions, a single grain |
| | transition | boundary dissociates into two new interfaces with the misorientation |
| | | relationship of R→ R1 + R2 |
| Defined by | Premelting | A disordered, liquid-like film at a grain boundary forms below the |
| structure and/or | transition | melting temperature (or solidus) of the bulk phase |
| composition | Prewetting | A nanolayer complexion with fixed equilibrium thickness forms at the |
| | transition | interface near the temperature or composition of the wetting transition |
| | Adsorption | A dramatic change in the composition of an interface in which the |
| | transition | relative amount of solute increases or decreases significantly |
Complexion | Defined by | Intrinsic | The complexion exists in pure systems, its composition is identical to |
category | composition | complexion | the bulk composition |
| | Extrinsic | The complexion exists in a non-pure system, its composition is in |
| | complexion | general not equal to the bulk composition |
| Dillon-Harmer | Clean | A complexion is structurally abrupt, solute segregation is not |
| complexion | complexion | necessarily entirely absent, but is minimal or is not observed at all, |
| | | which does not lead to an increase in thickness of the grain boundary |
| | | core |
| | Monolayer | The majority of the adsorbed solute is confined to a thickness of a |
| | complexion | single atomic layer |
| | Bilayer | The most of the adsorbed solute occupies a thickness of two atomic |
| | complexion | layers |
| | Trilayer | The most of the adsorbed solute occupies a thickness of three atomic |
| | complexion | layers |
| | Nanolayer | The adsorbed solute occupies a thickness larger than three atomic |
| | complexion | layers, but which is still finite, fixed and governed by equilibrium |
| | | thermodynamics, equivalent to intergranular film (IGF) |
| | Wetting | The bulk wetting film (solid or liquid) at a grain boundary, it has two |
| | complexion | complexions on each side of the wetting film |
| Defined by | Dry | A complexion with no adsorbed solute or very little adsorption, |
| thickness and | complexion | corresponds to the monolayer Dillon-Harmer complexion |
| composition | Moist | A complexion with multilayer solute adsorption, corresponds to the |
| | complexion | bilayer, trilayer and nanolayer Dillon-Harmer complexions |
| | Wet | Refers to the bulk wetting film at a boundary, corresponds to the |
| | complexion | wetting Dillon-Harmer complexion |