Materials for engineering, 3rd Edition - (Malestrom)

Preface to the first edition
This textbook represents an attempt to present a relatively brief overview of
Materials Science, the anticipated readership being students of structural and
mechanical engineering. It is in two sections – the first characterising
engineering materials, the second considering structure–property relationships.
Emphasis is thus placed on the relationship between structure and properties
of materials, starting with the concept of ‘structure’ at three levels – crystal
structure, microstructure, and molecular structure. The discussion of
microstructure introduces the topics of phase transformations, metallography
and phase diagrams – none of which would be familiar to the intended readership.
After a section on the determination of mechanical properties, the remaining
four chapters deal with the four important classes of engineering materials,
namely metals, ceramics, polymers and composites. It is estimated that there
are some 40 000 metallic alloys in existence, over 5000 polymers and some
2000 ceramic materials, so there is some justification in discussing metals
and alloys at the greatest length. In that chapter, an attempt has been made
to consider initially the general principles of strengthening, so that the individual
families of engineering alloys can be discussed in the light of this introduction.
About equal emphasis is placed on the remaining classes of materials.
The tables of data within the text, and the Appendices, have been selected
to increase the value of the book as a permanent source of reference to the
readers throughout their professional life. The latter include:
Useful constants
Unit conversion factors
Selected data for some elements
A list of sources of material property data, in the form of both handbooks
and database software.
The Periodic Table of the elements
The author is pleased to acknowledge the encouragement and suggestions
given by the members of the University Books Sub-Committee of the Institute
of Materials, Minerals & Mining. I am also most grateful to Professors B.
Cantor and D. G. Pettifor, FRS, for the facilities they have kindly provided
for me in the Oxford University Department of Materials and to Peter
Danckwerts for his efficient dealing with editorial matters.