100 years after the first observation of ripening by Ostwald and 40 years after the first publication of a theory describing this process, this monograph presents in a self-consistent and comprehensive manner, all the bits and pieces of coarsening theories so that the main issues and the underlying mathematics of self-similar coarsening of dispersed systems can be understood. Rather than giving a complete survey of the field, it presents a careful derivation of the existing results and places them into some perspective.

The annealing of deformed materials is of both technological importance and scientific interest. The phenomena have been most widely studied in metals, although they occur in all crystalline materials such as the natural deformation of rocks and the processing of technical ceramics. Research is mainly driven by the requirements of industry, and where appropriate, the book discusses the extent to which we are able to formulate quantitative, physically-based models which can be applied to metal-forming processes.The subjects treated in this book are all active research areas, and form a major part of at least four regular international conference series. However, there have only been two monographs published in recent times on the subject of recrystallization, the latest nearly 20 years ago. Since that time, considerable advances have been made, both in our understanding of the subject and in the techniques available to the researcher.The book covers recovery, recrystallization and grain growth in depth including specific chapters on ordered materials, two-phase alloys, annealing textures and annealing during and after hot working. Also contained are treatments of the deformed state and the structure and mobility of grain boundaries, technologically important examples and a chapter on computer simulation and modelling. The book provides a scientific treatment of the subject for researchers or students in Materials Science, Metallurgy and related disciplines, who require a more detailed coverage than is found in textbooks on physical metallurgy, and a more coherent treatment than will be found in the many conference proceedings and review articles.

Crystal growth far from thermodynamic equilibrium is nothing but homoepitaxy - thin film growth on a crystalline substrate of the same material. Because of the absence of misfit effects, homoepitaxy is an ideal playground to study growth kinetics in its pure form. Despite its conceptual simplicity, homoepitaxy gives rise to a wide range of patterns. This book explains the formation of such patterns in terms of elementary atomic processes, using the well-studied Pt/Pt(111) system as a reference point and a large number of Scanning Tunneling Microscopy images for visualization. Topics include surface diffusion, nucleation theory, island shapes, mound formation and coarsening, and layer-by-layer growth. A separate chapter is dedicated to describing the main experimental and theoretical methods.

This volume contains the papers presented at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Kinetics of Ordering and Growth at Surfaces", held in Acquafredda di Maratea, Italy, September 18-22, 1989. The workshop's goal was to bring together theorists and experimentalists from two related fields, surface science and thin-film growth, to highlight their common interests and overcome a lack of communication between these two communities. Typically surface scientists are only concerned with the microscopic (atomic) description of solids within one monolayer of the surface. Thin-film growers are usually considered more empirical in their approach, concerned primarily with the "quality of their product", and have not necessarily found it useful to incorporate surface science understanding into their art. This workshop aimed to counter at least in some measure these stereotypes. Its focus was on generating dialogue on the fundamental structural and kinetic processes that lead to the initial stages of film growth, from both the surface science and crystal growth perspectives. To achieve this, alternate days emphasized the view of surface science and thin-film growth, with considerable time for discussion, a format that appeared to succeed well. The success of the workshop is in large measure due to the efforts of the organizing committee, L. C. Feldman, P. K. Larsen, J. A. Venables, and J. Villain, whose advice on the constitution of the program was invaluable.

A classroom-tested textbook providing a fundamental understandingof basic kinetic processes in materials This textbook, reflecting the hands-on teaching experience of itsthree authors, evolved from Massachusetts Institute of Technology'sfirst-year graduate curriculum in the Department of MaterialsScience and Engineering. It discusses key topics collectivelyrepresenting the basic kinetic processes that cause changes in thesize, shape, composition, and atomistic structure of materials.Readers gain a deeper understanding of these kinetic processes andof the properties and applications of materials. Topics are introduced in a logical order, enabling students todevelop a solid foundation before advancing to more sophisticatedtopics. Kinetics of Materials begins with diffusion, offering adescription of the elementary manner in which atoms and moleculesmove around in solids and liquids. Next, the more complex motion ofdislocations and interfaces is addressed. Finally, still morecomplex kinetic phenomena, such as morphological evolution andphase transformations, are treated. Throughout the textbook, readers are instilled with an appreciationof the subject's analytic foundations and, in many cases, theapproximations commonly used in the field. The authors offer manyextensive derivations of important results to help illuminate theirorigins. While the principal focus is on kinetic phenomena incrystalline materials, select phenomena in noncrystalline materialsare also discussed. In many cases, the principles involved apply toall materials. Exercises with accompanying solutions are provided throughoutKinetics of Materials, enabling readers to put their newfoundknowledge into practice. In addition, bibliographies are offeredwith each chapter, helping readers to investigate specializedtopics in greater detail. Several appendices presenting importantbackground material are also included. With its unique range of topics, progressive structure, andextensive exercises, this classroom-tested textbook provides anenriching learning experience for first-year graduate students.

With this handbook, the distinguished team of editors has combined the expertise of leading nanomaterials scientists to provide the latest overview of this field. They cover the whole spectrum of nanomaterials, ranging from theory, synthesis, properties, characterization to application, including such new developments as quantum dots, nanoparticles, nanoporous materials, nanowires, nanotubes, and nanostructured polymers. The result is recommended reading for everybody working in nanoscience: Newcomers to the field can acquaint themselves with this exciting subject, while specialists will find answers to all their questions as well as helpful suggestions for further research.

Sintering is the process of forming materials and components from a powder under the action of thermal energy. It is a key materials science subject: most ceramic materials and many specialist metal powder products for use in key industries such as electronics, automotive and aerospace are formed this way. Written by one of the leading experts in the field, this book offers an unrivalled introduction to sintering and sintering processes for students of materials science and engineering, and practicing engineers in industry. The book is unique in providing a complete grounding in the principles of sintering and equal coverage of the three key sintering processes: densification, grain growth and microstructure. Students and professional engineers alike will be attracted by the emphasis on developing a detailed understanding of the theory and practical processes of sintering, the balanced coverage of ceramic and metal sintering, and the accompanying examination questions with selected solutions. - Delivering unrivalled depth of coverage on the basis of sintering, science, including thermodynamics and polycrystalline microstructure. - Unique in its balanced coverage of the three key sintering elements - densification, grain growth and microstructure. - A key reference for students and engineers in materials science and engineering, accompanied by examination questions and selected solutions.