Customer Reviews

Materials Science and Engineering: An Introduction

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I was planning on getting this textbook used from our school book store, but it was over one hundred dollars even used. I found it here for a really good price. It came very promptly with no issues.

I purchased this book as a supplementary textbook for my Materials Engineering class. For this purpose, it was effective. There are few errors, and the index, glossary, and online content are very helpful. This book is well-written and easy to understand, at least for an undergrad student. I mean, it is a textbook after all. So, it serves it's purpose.

This textbook is a good, comprehensive introduction to material science. Its writing style is fairly dull, but at least it's concise and easy to understand. There is lots of reference material in the back of the book (such as density, melting/boiling points, and many other physical properties) and key points are highlighted well througout the book, which makes it useful as a reference book. This book is great for two types of people: those that will be specializing in materials science and need an introduction to it, and those who won't be specializing in materials science but need an overview of the topic.

This is a terrific book on the subject of Materials Science.
This is the sort of book more engineers should read, as they lack knowledge in this department. It covers metals, ceramics, plastics and composites as well as briefly covering other materials such as semiconductors. It talks about fabrication processes, microstructures as well as the properties of typical materials - for example with metal alloys, casting, forging etc are discussed as well as phase diagrams.

The last section discusses the application of various materials for use in several different parts. In the edition I have, they are automobile valve springs, an artificial femoral component, and space shuttle tiles, as well as the strength-weight optimisation of various beams. It goes into each aspect of the design, for example how many stress cycles the valve will undergo in the typical lifetime, and give a specific failure rate. Quite interesting.

There are also sections on thermal properties, electrical properties, atomic lattices, and more... I can't remember, it's been a while since I last looked through it properly. In summary, this book is packed with sufficient information to give you general knowledge of each field covered and get you interested, without going overboard -something that most university textbooks tend to do.

Dr Callister book shows his unprecedented skill in the art of teaching. The breadth, depth, and clarity with which he surveys materials science concepts will make this textbook indispensable for both studying and practicing engineers for years to come. Without a doubt, this is one of the most well written textbooks I have ever had the pleasure of reading.

Book arrived well before end of shipping period. Exact condition as seller had stated. Well worth not buying the new textbook.

I thought that this text was excellent. Definately a great primer on the subject of material science and engineering.

I majored in Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. This book covers everything. The only problem I have with this book is the sentense structure of the text.

There are way too many phrases which begins with "inasmuch" in the text. Not only is it annoying, but it also distract the reader and makes the subject hard to understand.

I purchased this book for a course in materials science. The course was structured as an independent study. I was responsible for studying the materials and I would take quizzes through e-mail. This book was my primary source of instruction for the course. Where the book could not support me in the quizzes, it was necessary to seek information elsewhere. My judgement of this book, therefore, is based on its thoroughness, mathematical rigorousness and its ability to explain concepts. Most of the topics covered in the course were well presented by the book. In particular, chapter 3, on the Structure of Crystalline Solids, was very well done. In general the writing style is good. The use of many figures and diagrams enhanced the explanations of physical phenomenon. I highly recommend it for an intuitive viewpoint into material science. Where the book falls down is in the realm of calculation. There are too few formula given. Where they are given, there are too few examples on their use. Chapter 6 on the Mechanical Properties of Metals, and chapter 9 on Phase Diagrams, are sections that failed in this regard. However, the books lack of over-reliance on formula and mathematics is a great enhancement for those just beginning an exploration of the science or a career in engineering. Too many numbers on a page would be a discouragement to those wishing to enjoy the material. Therefore, I would recommend this book as a sophomore level introduction to Material Science, for which, in fact, it has been written.

Dr. Callister does a nice job of covering all the essential topics in a basic materials science course for engineers. Well-written and entertaining, with a nice layout.