Einschlüssen

Einschlüssen is a term used in German to refer to foreign bodies or materials that are enclosed within another substance. In standard Fachsprache, the noun responsible for this concept is Einschluss, and its common plural is Einschlüsse. The form Einschlüssen appears in some texts as a less common or older variant of the plural. In practice, Fachtexte typically use Einschlüsse, while Einschlüssen may be encountered in historical or dialectal contexts.

In geology and mineralogy, inclusions are materials trapped inside a host mineral or rock during crystallization or subsequent growth. They can be minerals, mineral fragments, or other substances enclosed within a crystal or matrix. Inclusions provide important clues about the conditions of formation, the environment, and the history of the enclosing material. Common examples include mineral crystals embedded within diamonds or zircons, and fluid or gas pockets preserved within rocks.

In materials science and engineering, inclusions refer to foreign particles or phases embedded in a carrier material, such as metal, ceramic, or polymer matrices. Inclusions can be defects that degrade mechanical properties, such as strength and toughness, or, if controlled, they can reinforce materials (for example, ceramic particles in metal alloys). The nature, size, distribution, and interface with the host determine the overall performance of the composite.

Analysis of inclusions employs optical microscopy, electron microscopy, X-ray imaging, and spectroscopic methods to identify composition, morphology, and formation histories.