Treatise on Materials Science and Technology, Volume 25: Embrittlement of Engineering Alloys is an 11-chapter text that describes some situations that produce premature failure of several engineering alloys, including steels and nickel- and aluminum-base alloys. Chapters 1 to 3 consider situations where improper alloy composition, processing, and/or heat treatment can lead to a degradation of mechanical properties, even in the absence of an aggressive environment or an elevated temperature. Chapters 4 and 5 examine the effect of elevated temperatures on the mechanical properties of both ferrous and nonferrous alloys. Chapters 6 and 7 discuss the effects of corrosive environments on both stressed and unstressed materials. In these environments anodic dissolution is the primary step that leads to failure. Chapters 8 to 10 deal with the effects of aggressive environments that lead to enhanced decohesion or embrittlement of the metal, such as hydrogen, liquid metal, and irradiation-induced embrittlement. Chapter 11 looks into the embrittlement phenomena occurring during welding, one of the most common processing conditions to which a material could be subjected. This book will prove useful to materials scientists and researchers.
