BOOKS & MEDIA UPDATE
Handbook of Ceramic
Composites
Narottam P. Bansal (ed.)
Springer (2005), 558 pp.
ISBN: 1-4020-8133-2
$259 / £176 /
229
Ceramic matrix composites offer
light weight, high strength and
toughness, and high temperature
capabilities. This handbook covers
different ceramic composite classes
in separate chapters, each describing
processing, properties, and
applications of the material systems.
A valuable source of information for
scientists and engineers, it is also
intended to help designers in
designing parts for industrial
applications.
Magnetism: Materials
and Applications
Etienne du Trémolet de
Lacheisserie et al. (eds.)
Springer (2005), 520 pp.
ISBN: 0-387-23000-9
$89.95 / £61.50 /
79.95
This textbook describes the basic
phenomena governing the magnetic
properties of matter. It also covers
applications of magnetic materials in
science, technology, and medicine.
Hard and soft magnetic materials,
magnetostrictive materials,
superconductors, thin films and
multilayers, and ferrofluids are
included.
Laser Processing of
Engineering Materials
John Ion
Elsevier (2005), 576 pp.
ISBN: 0-7506-6079-1
$59.95 / £29.99
Lasers are being used in an ever-
wider range of material processing
and manufacturing applications, from
electronics and medical device
fabrication to curing, cutting, and
welding. This text covers the theory
and application of lasers for students,
researchers, and practicing engineers
and includes examples, exercises, and
a companion website with solutions.
Expert
Graduate
Undergraduate
Smart and useful materials
Michelle Addington and Daniel L. Schodek’s new book on smart materials in
architecture has much to interest material scientists as well, says George E.
Dieter.
When asked to review a book on smart materials, I
jumped at the chance. I am generally knowledgeable
about the use of these materials in structural and
medical applications, but I was not prepared for the
broad sweep of applications discussed in this book.
Smart Materials and Technologies deals with the
behavior and performance of smart materials in
components and systems. It is oriented toward
building design and construction, making it a unique
read for the materials expert. While the discussion of
material structure is necessarily at an elementary level,
it will not insult the intelligence of the experienced
materials scientist, and excellent line drawings and
photographs accompany the text.
Addington and Schodek divide
smart materials and systems into
two classes. Type one materials
undergo changes in one or more of
their properties (chemical,
electrical, magnetic, mechanical, or
thermal) in direct response to a
change in external stimuli in the
surrounding environment. For
example, a photochromic material
alters its color in response to a
change in the amount of
ultraviolet radiation on its surface.
A type two smart material
transforms energy from one form
to another. This class involves
materials with the following types of behavior:
photovoltaic, thermoelectric, piezoelectric,
photoluminescent, and electrostrictive.
The book is organized into nine chapters. After a brief
introduction, chapter two classifies the broad field of
engineering materials and places smart materials into
that taxonomy. Since the book is aimed at an audience
of architects, it is interesting to observe the difference
in emphasis. For instance, there is much more concern
for wood and textile products than in conventional
materials science texts. Chapter three deals with
energy concepts. There is a very good descriptive,
nonmathematical discussion of the three laws of
thermodynamics. Chapter four provides the main
coverage of the behavior and properties of smart
materials. The authors give greatest emphasis to type
one, property-changing smart materials, judging that
they have the greatest potential in architecture.
Attention is given to color-changing materials that
respond to light, temperature, mechanical strain, or
electric voltages. The section on type two, energy-
exchanging smart materials is not as complete as most
materials experts would like to see. There is a good
discussion of light-emitting materials and
thermoelectrics, but the discussion of piezoelectric
materials and shape-memory alloys is too brief.
Chapter five shows how smart materials can be used
as sensors, detectors, transducers, and actuators. It
goes on to discuss the elements of control systems
and the potential of microelectromechanical systems.
Chapter six on smart products gives a vision of the
future that is just around the
corner. There is a good discussion
of physical and chemical methods
for making thin films. Such topics
as photochromic, thermochromic,
electroluminescent, and conductive
polymer films are covered. Also,
shape-changing polymer strands,
smart dyes and inks, smart paints
and coatings, and smart fabrics are
described. While the subject matter
is mostly building oriented, it
becomes intensely so in the next
chapter. There is detailed discussion
of smart windows, smart heating
and cooling systems, and structural
Michelle Addington and Daniel L. Schodek
Smart Materials and Technologies
Elsevier (2005), 241 pp, ISBN 0-7506-6225-5
$59.95 / £39.99
health monitoring, i.e. early detection of failure.
Chapter eight deals with the intelligent home of the
future, and the final chapter discusses how design is
done in architecture and the forces that limit the
introduction of new materials.
This is a pleasant and interesting read. The first six
chapters could well serve as an introduction to smart
materials for an undergraduate student or interested
lay person. While well written and illustrated, the book
does not contain sufficient references to lead the
technical reader to the next level of understanding.
George E. Dieter is Glenn L. Martin Professor of
Engineering at the University of Maryland.
March 2005 57