8. Glossary – Definitions

anisotropy; anisotropy

Dependence of a property on the direction of measurement, generally linked to the texture of the material.

eutectic; eutectic

A mixture of two or more pure substances that melts and solidifies at constant temperature. Its behavior, from the melting point of view, is therefore that of a pure body.

texture; texture

Distribution of crystalline orientations in a material. A material is said to be textured if the crystalline orientations are not random, which can lead to anisotropic properties.

allotropic varieties; allotropic phases

Different crystalline forms in which a material can appear, depending in particular on temperature or pressure conditions.