STRUCTURAL BASIS OF INTERFACE ENGINEERING

The paper analyses in a systematic manner these structural factors of interfaces in relation to their properties that constitute the backgro und of ''interface engineering''. It is shown that the specific proper ties of interfaces are related to their structure. A brief description of recent structural models of interfaces is therefore presented. A n ew concept of interface microstructure composed of different kinds of interfacial defects is introduced and their role in determining the in terface properties is emphasised. It is shown that interfaces control the processes taking place in the material under external solicitation s or during the microstructure formation, mainly through their interac tion with other crystal defects. Various examples illustrating the pos sibility of controlling and improving the material properties by appro priate changes of interface structures are presented in the case of me tals, alloys, intermetallics and ceramics.