Mechanically induced chemistry

Mechanically induced chemistry (the so-called mechanochemistry) has a long history and continues to be of high importance. The presentation is focused on the mechanochemical phenomena in oxides, where an external mechanical force is exerted for the size reduction of solid particles even to the nanometer range, for the mixing and combination of chemical elements down to the atomic scale, and for the initiation or acceleration of solid state chemical reactions. Heterogeneous processes shall be illustrated with the specific case of the mechanically induced formation reactions (mechanosyntheses) of complex oxides. (authors)