This text treats materials processing from a theoretical and thus mathematical and quantitative point of view. The first section draws on varied fields to provide a theoretical basis upon which any materials synthesis and/or fabrication process may be completely described. In the second section, the theory is applied to important materials processing operations. In addition, the practical side of theoretical materials processing is directly addressed: the details of useful numerical simulation methods; numerous tables of material property values; details of useful mathematical manipulations that are frequently required; and helpful, detailed and easy-to-use tables of unit conversions are included. Furthermore, the book begins with a purely qualitative discussion of the key aspects of theory, to establish a sufficiently good understanding of the same aspects when they are re-introduced in their more customary mathematical, quantitative form. Taken together, the various elements of this book provide a foundation for both the understanding and the use of this theoretical approach to materials processing.The book should be of interest to R+D personnel, industrial engineers and plants managers. It should also be of interest to graduates and undergraduates studying materials synthesis, processing and modelling.
