Diffusion in Materials—History and Recent Developments

Abstract

Diffusion is a process that is fundamental in the art and science of materials. The knowledge of diffusion behaviour, therefore, is essential for the production of materials or for their use in practical applications. In the first part of this paper, a brief review is given on the historical developments of the quantitative study of diffusion: the establishment of the diffusion law by A. Fick, the first quantitative measurement of solid-state diffusion (Au in Pb) by W. C. Roberts-Austen and the demonstration of the self-diffusion in Pb using a natural radioactive isotope by G. Hevesy. In the second part, the development and the present status of our understanding of several problems: correlation effects in diffusion, fast diffusion in metals and the mechanism of diffusion in intermetallic compounds will be reviewed.