It is the objective of the series IIMaterials Research and Engineeringll to publish information on technical facts and pro cesses together with specific scientific models and theories. Fundamental considerations assist in the recognition of the origin of properties and the roots of processes. By providing a higher level of understanding, such considerations form the basis for further improving the quality of both traditional and future engineering materials, as well as the efficiency of industrial operations. In a more general sense, theory helps to integrate facts into a framework which ties...