Investigation of double-gyroid grain boundaries beyond twinning

Abstract

We study four double-gyroid (DG) grain boundaries (GBs) with different orientations numerically using the Landau--Brazovskii free energy, including the (422) twin boundary studied recently, a network switching GB, and two tilt GBs. Topological variations and geometric deformations are investigated. It is found that deviations in strut lengths and dihedral angles from the bulk DG substantially exceed changes in strut angles and nodal coplanarity. We also examine the spectra along the contact plane of two grains and utilize them to evaluate the GB widths. Of the four GBs we study, the network switching GB changes to the least extent topologically and geometrically, meanwhile has the lowest energy and the smallest GB width.