Effects of Interstitials
Interstitials modify the physical and chemical properties of materials.
- Interstitial carbon atoms have a crucial role for the properties and processing of steels, in particular carbon steels.
- Impurity interstitials can be used e.g. for storage of hydrogen in metals.
- The amorphization of semiconductors such as silicon during ion irradiation is often explained by the buildup of a high concentration of interstitials leading eventually to the collapse of the lattice as it becomes unstable
- Creation of large amounts of interstitials in a solid can lead to a significant energy buildup, which on release can even lead to severe accidents in certain old types of nuclear reactors (Wigner effect). The high-energy states can be released by annealing.
- At least in face-centered cubic (FCC) lattice, interstitials have a large diaelastic softening effect on the material
- It has been proposed that interstitials are related to the onset of melting and the glass transition.
Read more about this topic: Interstitial Defect
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