6. Glossary

Phases (or compounds or precipitates); Intermetallic compounds

Solid phases containing two or more metallic elements, and possibly one or more non-metallic elements, whose crystalline structure differs from that of the basic elements. The various properties of intermetallics (chemical, physical, mechanical, crystallographic, etc.) are generally very different from those of their constituent elements.

Grains and grain boundaries; Grains et joints de grains

Every metallic object is made up of a juxtaposition of grains (from a few nanometers to a centimeter) that adhere strongly to one another. The areas where the different grains come into contact are called "grain boundaries".

Couple galvanique; Galvanic coupling

A galvanic couple is the association of two metals in...