This document discusses grain boundary strengthening as a technique for strengthening materials. It describes how grain boundaries separate grains of different crystallographic orientations and act as barriers to dislocation motion. High angle grain boundaries have higher surface energy than low angle grain boundaries. Strengthening can occur through restricting dislocation motion at grain boundaries, making the material harder but sometimes reducing ductility. Grain boundary sliding is another deformation mechanism above half the melting temperature, where sliding along boundaries can occur.