Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 February 2011
A detailed understanding of planar defects plays an important role in the search for a comprehensive description of the mechanical behaviour of metals and alloys. We present calculations for isolated stacking faults and grain boundaries using the layer Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker method including an assessment of the force theorem, which has already proven itself in evaluating defect energies for elemental close-packed metals. These ab initio total energy calculations will be supplemented by a study of the changes in bonding and local magnetic properties near a symmetric Σ5 (310) grain boundary in Fe