Grain boundaries are interfaces between crystallites of the same phase but different crystallographic orientation. They can be characterized as being low angle or high angle. This article discusses the measurements of grain-boundary energy with a brief summary of different schemes for measuring grain-boundary surface tension. The atomistic simulations of grain-boundary energy, measurement of grain-boundary migration and the techniques used to monitor grain-boundary migration are reviewed. Several considerations and effects influencing the computation of grain-boundary mobility are also discussed.

This article reviews network models and their applications for the simulation of various physical phenomena related to grain-boundary migration. It discusses the steps involved in the implementation of two and three-dimensional network models, namely, acquisition and discretization of the microstructure, formulation of the equation of motion, and implementation of the topological transformations. The article presents examples that illustrate the simulation of physical phenomena to demonstrate the predictive power and flexibility of network models.