The book presents practical and theoretical works on superplasticity in metals and ceramics, on deformation mechanisms, on processes to obtain large ultrafine-grained structures, on advanced characterization techniques, and on hot deformation of advanced materials. Key papers focus on (1) processing of metallic alloys for achieving exceptional superplastic properties, (2) high-pressure sliding (HPS) processes, (3) in-situ neutron and synchrotron methods, and (4) ultra-severe plastic deformation. Keywords: Superplasticity, Superfunctionality, High-pressure Sliding, High-pressure Torsion, Precise Forming, Numerical Simulation, Aeronautical Parts, Near-unconstrained Superplastic Parts, Low-temperature Superplasticity, Friction Stir Processing, Microstructure Evolution, Corrosion Properties, Duplex Stainless Steel, Grain Boundary Sliding, Laminated Materials, Asymmetric Hot Rolling, Uniaxial Hot Pressing, Diffusion Bonding.

Proceedings of a symposium sponsored by the Shaping and Forming Committee of the Materials Processing and Manufacturing Division (MPMD) and the Mechanical Behavior Committee (Jt. SMD/ASM-MSCTS) of the Structural Materials Division (SMD) of TMS (The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society) and held during the 2002 TMS Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington February 17-21,2002.

Interest in the phenomenon of superplasticity has been increasing steadily over the past thirty-four years, both from the viewpoint of fundamental scientific understanding as well as of industrial application. The scope of superplasticity has also broadened materials-wise, and now includes, in addition to metals: intermetallics, ceramics, bulk metallic glasses, nanostructured materials and composites.

Superplastic forming (SPF) has come a long way from its relatively recent history of being of interest only to the aerospace and aeronautical industries, and has made rapid inroads into applications in the automotive, rail, architectural, sports, dental and entertainment sectors. This book comprises 82 papers which describe in detail the latest developments in the field. All aspects of the subject are covered, ranging from the atomistic simulation of grain-boundary sliding to the industrial-scale application of superplasticity and of diffusion bonding. This volume therefore represents an invaluable guide to the state-of-the-art in this field.

While the superplastic phenomenon was first demonstrated in scientific experiments conducted in the United Kingdom, much of the early systematic work in this area was performed in Russia. This volume covers the recent developments concerning superplastictity phenomena in many materials classes of current interest.

Interest in the phenomenon of superplasticity has been increasing steadily over the past two decades, both with regard to promoting fundamental scientific understanding as well as commercial application. Most of the early studies on superplasticity dealt with microduplex metallic alloys. The unabated interest in, and scientific research on, superplasticity has now broadened the scope of the topic to include intermetallic compounds, ceramics, composites and nanocrystalline materials.