Interfacial segregation has long been studied because of its impact on various properties of
materials. Usually, theoretical descriptions are based on thermodynamic terms such as
segregation enthalpy and entropy. Comparisons of published papers of different authors
reveal fundamental differences in our understanding and application of these
thermodynamic characteristics. To clarify this situation, the report reviews several types of
segregation isotherms and their derivations. Individual sets of thermodynamic state functions …

Grain boundary segregation, embrittlement and phase nucleation are interconnected
phenomena that are often treated separately, which is partly due to limitations of the current
models to predict grain boundary segregation in non-ideal solid solutions. Here, a simple
model is introduced to predict grain boundary segregation in solid solutions by coupling
available bulk thermodynamic data with a mean-field description of the grain boundary
character. The model is confronted with experimental results obtained in Fe-Mn alloys …