Grain boundary planes: New dimensions in the grain boundary character distribution

The five parameter grain boundary character distribution quantifies the relative areas of different types of grain boundaries, distinguished by their lattice misorientation and grain boundary plane orientation. The viewpoint presented in this paper is that this distribution is a sensitive metric of polycrystalline structure that can be related to macroscopic properties. To demonstrate the influence of the grain boundary character distribution on macroscopic properties, the stored elastic energy is calculated in model microstructures.