Ostwald ripening is an observed phenomena in solid solutions which describes the evolution of an inhomogenous structure over time. When a phase precipitates out of a solid, energetic factors will drive some precipitates to grow, drawing from the others, which shrink. If this pr ...
The Kirkendall effect. At the boundary between two solids diffusing into each other at different rates, for example zinc and copper, their alloy (brass) grows in the direction of the faster-moving species (zinc). Unfilled voids are left behind and coalesce into large pores. ...