Handbook of Materials Science and Engineering: From Atomic Structure and Phase Diagrams to Mechanical Behavior, Heat Treatment, Corrosion, Characterization, and Material Selection

A practical, detailed reference for understanding how materials are structured, processed, tested, selected, and used in modern engineering.

Every engineering product depends on materials. The strength of a structure, the life of a machine component, the reliability of an electronic device, the durability of a coating, and the performance of a high-temperature system all begin with understanding how materials behave.

Handbook of Materials Science and Engineering gives students, engineers, technical professionals, and laboratory personnel a clear and systematic treatment of the principles used to understand and select engineering materials.

Written for readers who need more than a collection of property tables, this book connects atomic structure, processing, properties, testing, failure, and material selection into one complete engineering reference.

You will study:

• Materials science and engineering fundamentals, including the structure–processing–properties–performance relationship.
• Atomic structure, bonding, and crystal structure, including FCC, BCC, HCP, crystallographic directions, planes, packing, and diffraction concepts.
• Defects and diffusion, including vacancies, dislocations, grain boundaries, Fick's laws, and temperature-dependent diffusion.
• Phase diagrams and phase equilibria, including binary systems, invariant reactions, tie lines, the lever rule, and the iron–carbon system.
• Phase transformations and heat treatment, including nucleation, growth, TTT and CCT diagrams, martensite, bainite, pearlite, quenching, tempering, annealing, and precipitation hardening.
• Mechanical behavior of materials, covering stress, strain, elasticity, plasticity, yielding, strengthening mechanisms, temperature effects, and strain-rate effects.
• Fracture, fatigue, creep, and wear, with practical treatment of crack behavior, fracture toughness, fatigue life, creep deformation, and major wear mechanisms.
• Corrosion and environmental degradation, including galvanic corrosion, pitting, crevice corrosion, stress-corrosion cracking, oxidation, polymer degradation, and corrosion-control methods.
• Materials characterization and testing, including optical microscopy, SEM, TEM, X-ray diffraction, spectroscopy, thermal analysis, hardness testing, tensile testing, impact testing, and fracture testing.
• Electrical, thermal, magnetic, and optical properties, including conductivity, resistivity, thermal conductivity, expansion, dielectrics, magnetism, and optical response.
• Metals and alloys, including steels, cast irons, stainless steels, aluminum alloys, copper alloys, magnesium alloys, titanium alloys, and nickel alloys.
• Ceramics, glasses, and refractories, including powder processing, sintering, vitrification, porosity, brittle-strength behavior, thermal shock, and high-temperature applications.
• Polymers and elastomers, including polymerization, molecular weight, chain architecture, crystallinity, glass transition, viscoelasticity, thermoplastics, thermosets, and rubber elasticity.
• and more

This handbook is designed to support both systematic study and day-to-day technical reference.

Important equations are explained with their variables, units, assumptions, and practical limits. Worked examples show how engineering calculations are carried out and how the results should be interpreted. Practice problems allow readers to test their understanding, while tables, diagrams, comparison charts, a glossary, selected property data, conversion information, and an index make the book useful for reference work.

From the behavior of atoms and crystal defects to the final choice of a material for manufacture and service, this handbook provides a connected view of modern materials science and engineering in one substantial reference volume.

Dr. Marcus T. Ellison is an engineering educator, manufacturing specialist, and technical consultant whose work focuses on computer numerical control machining and modern manufacturing systems. His professional background combines university-level teaching with practical experience in CNC operations, programming, process planning, tooling, workholding, inspection, and production improvement.
Throughout his academic and industry work, Dr. Ellison has helped students, technicians, machinists, and engineering professionals develop a stronger understanding of both the theory and practical application of advanced manufacturing technology. His teaching approach emphasises technical accuracy, safe working practice, clear problem-solving methods, and the connection between engineering principles and real shop-floor decisions.
His research and consulting interests include CNC process optimisation, CAD/CAM integration, machining accuracy, tool-life management, automated production, quality control, and the application of digital technologies in manufacturing. He is particularly committed to making complex engineering subjects understandable without reducing their technical depth.
Through his books and professional work, Dr. Ellison aims to provide dependable, practical resources that support technical education, workforce development, and effective engineering practice.