Science of Materials

Examines the evolution of this new scientific discipline. Deals with selected solid (engineering) materials while also describing asbestos, asphalt, natural gas, cellulose, wood, reeds, lignin, paper, liquid crystals, spinels, coal tar, and coal gas and petroleum. Considers such recent materials as glassy metals, sialons, and composite materials. Examines all important classes of properties of materials; fundamentals or molecular-level considerations; testing; and devices such as lasers, masers, computer memory chips, and several types of nuclear reactors. Plus, material that normally occur as liquids or gases are treated with the same attention as solids, and properties of materials are determined by their structures and interactions, stressing their common features.