Materials

The study of materials is a major field of research that supports and drives innovation in technology. Using modern scientific techniques, materials scientists and engineers explore and manipulate materials, and create new ones with remarkable strength and extraordinary optical and electrical properties. In this Very Short Introduction, Christopher Hall looks at a wide range of materials, from steel, wood, and rubber, to gold, silicon, and graphene, describing how materials are used, how their properties arise from their internal structure, and how useful and novel things are made from them. He concludes by looking at how the global scale of materials consumption now threatens the goal of sustainability. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

The study of materials is a major field of research that supports and drives innovation in technology. Using modern scientific techniques, materials scientists and engineers explore and manipulate materials, and create new ones with remarkable strength and extraordinary optical and electrical properties. In this Very Short Introduction, Christopher Hall looks at a wide range of materials, from steel, wood, and rubber, to gold, silicon, and graphene, describing how materials are used, how their properties arise from their internal structure, and how useful and novel things are made from them. He concludes by looking at how the global scale of materials consumption now threatens the goal of sustainability. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

The environmental impacts of construction are momentous. How can architects minimise these by making responsible material choices? Material choices have a global impact. The design and construction industry are responsible for 39% of all carbon emissions in the world. Despite the great desire among architects to address this, it can be difficult to compare materials directly, let alone understand the repercussions of selecting materials for use in different parts of a building or of sourcing them from across the world. Showcasing the latest thought leadership from subject experts across the industry, this primer sets out the various considerations and parameters for specifying a particular material. It empowers architects with the knowledge of which materials are available, how best to use them, and what their future holds as the industry continues to innovate. Each chapter will be devoted to a single material and will consider environmental impacts holistically, looking at health and biodiversity impacts, among other issues. Featuring: Chapters written by subject experts, including: Duncan Baker-Brown, Carol Costello, Graham Coult, Barbara Jones, Rowland Keable, Bruce Martin, Michael Stacey and Oliver Wilton. Mainstream and burgeoning materials, including: aluminium, bamboo, brick, concrete, cork, hemp, mycelium, plastics, steel, stone and timber. Diagrams, graphics and illustrated exemplars.

Materials: Engineering, Science, Processing and Design is the essential materials engineering text and resource for students developing skills and understanding of materials properties and selection for engineering applications. Taking a unique design-led approach that is broader in scope than other texts, Materials meets the curriculum needs of a wide variety of courses in the materials and design field, including introduction to materials science and engineering, engineering materials, materials selection and processing, and behavior of materials. This new edition retains its design-led focus and strong emphasis on visual communication while expanding its coverage of the physical basis of material properties, and process selection.

Materials: Engineering, Science, Processing and Design is the essential materials engineering text and resource for students developing skills and understanding of materials properties and selection for engineering applications. Taking a unique design-led approach that is broader in scope than other texts, Materials meets the curriculum needs of a wide variety of courses in the materials and design field, including introduction to materials science and engineering, engineering materials, materials selection and processing, and behavior of materials. This new edition retains its design-led focus and strong emphasis on visual communication while expanding its coverage of the physical basis of material properties, and process selection.