BOOKS G MEDIA UPDATE Fracture source Characterization of Materials The fracture properties of many different types of fibers are covered in a hn wiley Sons(2003). 1392 pp N:0471-26882-8 timely new book that will prove to be a tremendous source of information and 400/￡267/e381 references for researchers in the wide and diverse field of fibers and composites, says Bill Clegg coverage of characterization echniques, this reference work is Since prehistoric times, the human race has relied appear to be the fault of the publisher. The volume is designed to assist the researcher upon fibers for making items, such as clothing, that are full of interesting information with useful indexes and choose the most appropriate strong, yet have great flexibility. The process of fibe I could find things I wanted quite rapidly heasurement method for a given material and rty. Each method is making aligns molecules, while the small diameter of There are some interesting articles on the fractography described in full alongside examples of fibers eliminates the large flaws that limit the strength of fiber failure, but there is also a lot of information its application and a discussion of its of brittle materials, so that fibers are among the chat does not seem to be relevant to fracture. For mutations and relationship to stiffest or strongest forms of material known instance, the artide on carbon fibers devotes only a eting techniques. Materials consisting of fibers bonded together with few pages to fracture- and these are mostly pictures. plastics, metals, and even ceramics are widely used. No doubt it is important to understand the The addition of fibers makes plastics and metals background in terms of structure and processing, but nt, one could only feel that fracture was of lesser Crystals but only because the separating material deflects Richart E. Slusher and cracks and prevents penetration Benjamin J. Eggleton(eds into the fibers. This resistance to This is reflected in many of the other articles, where topics such as SBN:3-540-4 crack growth yields ceramic fiber creep or modulus are discussed in 995/E56/∈7995 opposites with great toughness. FIBER more detail than fracture and one his book illustrates the progress that In all cases, the strength of fibers is FRACTURE wonders whether fracture is as as been made in nonlinear optical studies of periodic dielectric important as the structures. The chapters cover a range the best properties for the explanation on the back cover topics induding the theory of intended use. whether these be suggest. The article on natural nonlinear pulse propagation in ffness, strength, or toughness. polymeric fibers does discuss odic structures, gap and spatial fracture in detail. However, the olitons. and the materials and very high strengths has proved a discussion of brittleness in terms of structures likely to have an impact long and difficult task. It is, the Weibull modulus is misleading Brittleness is dependent on the fiber fracture has appeared, giving energy dissipated during cracking Molecular Electronics state-of-the-art information about the Weibull modulus is associated with the scatter in the strengths. World Scientific(2003). 384 Pp. pbk The contents of this book are sBN:981-238341-7 devoted to a description of the fracture of fibers and es and j llorca came out of a EURESCO conference on the subject in 400 Pp, ISBN0-0B0441041 James Tour has set out to cover the pain in the fall of 2000. Contributions are organized ience, investment, and future potential of this field. He writes in an nto an introduction, containing a broad overview of fiber fracture, and a rather general discussion of the Nonzero values of the Weibull modulus do not imply easy to understand manner for hat there are ductile contributions to failure students and researchers and includes models used for determining strength, followed by a lighter overviews for the interested discussion of the fractography of fibers. Subsequent However, these minor misgivings cannot detract from layperson or entrepreneur. The book sections cover ceramic fibers, with articles on silicon the usefulness of this book as a tremendous source of describes the synthetic chemistry arbide fibers, oxide fibers, and single crystal oxide fibers made by directional solidification, as well as types of fiber. I have absolutely no doubt that this characteristics of molecular electronic glass and carbon fibers. The remainder of the book book will have great appeal to those specializing in the amings, and a who's Who guide to covers polymer and metallic fibers and wires. It also mechanical behavior of materials and to researchers inthe business landscape. includes sections on natural fibers and carbon the field of fiber and composite processing and nanotubes On the whole, the book is well prepared with relatively Bill Clegg is a reader in ceramics in the Department of Expert few typographical errors. Unfortunately, some of the Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of diagrams are of a rather poor quality, which does not Cambridge, UK. Undergraduate 52 materiolstoday July/August 2003
Characterization of Materials Elton N. Kaufmann (ed.) John Wiley & Sons (2003), 1392 pp. ISBN: 0-471-26882-8 $400 / £267 / 381 An up-to-date and comprehensive coverage of characterization techniques, this reference work is designed to assist the researcher choose the most appropriate measurement method for a given material and property. Each method is described in full alongside examples of its application and a discussion of its limitations and relationship to competing techniques. Nonlinear Photonic Crystals Richart E. Slusher and Benjamin J. Eggleton (eds.) Springer-Verlag (2003), 375 pp. ISBN: 3-540-43900-5 $89.95 / £56 / 79.95 This book illustrates the progress that has been made in nonlinear optical studies of periodic dielectric structures. The chapters cover a range of topics including the theory of nonlinear pulse propagation in periodic structures, gap and spatial solitons, and the materials and structures likely to have an impact on new optical devices. Molecular Electronics James M. Tour World Scientific (2003), 384 pp., pbk ISBN: 981-238-341-7 $28 / £19 James Tour has set out to cover the science, investment, and future potential of this field. He writes in an easy to understand manner for students and researchers and includes lighter overviews for the interested layperson or entrepreneur. The book describes the synthetic chemistry, self-assembly, and current-voltage characteristics of molecular electronic devices, and provides advice, warnings, and a ‘Who’s Who’ guide to the business landscape. Expert Graduate Undergraduate BOOKS & MEDIA UPDATE Fracture source The fracture properties of many different types of fibers are covered in a timely new book that will prove to be a tremendous source of information and references for researchers in the wide and diverse field of fibers and composites, says Bill Clegg. Since prehistoric times, the human race has relied upon fibers for making items, such as clothing, that are strong, yet have great flexibility. The process of fiber making aligns molecules, while the small diameter of fibers eliminates the large flaws that limit the strength of brittle materials, so that fibers are among the stiffest or strongest forms of material known. Materials consisting of fibers bonded together with plastics, metals, and even ceramics are widely used. The addition of fibers makes plastics and metals stiffer. In ceramics, fiber strength is still important, but only because the separating material deflects cracks and prevents penetration into the fibers. This resistance to crack growth yields ceramic fiber composites with great toughness. In all cases, the strength of fibers is of great importance in achieving the best properties for the intended use, whether these be stiffness, strength, or toughness. However, obtaining fibers with very high strengths has proved a long and difficult task. It is, therefore, timely that a book on fiber fracture has appeared, giving state-of-the-art information about the various types of fiber. The contents of this book are devoted to a description of the fracture of fibers and came out of a EURESCO conference on the subject in Spain in the fall of 2000. Contributions are organized into an introduction, containing a broad overview of fiber fracture, and a rather general discussion of the models used for determining strength, followed by a discussion of the fractography of fibers. Subsequent sections cover ceramic fibers, with articles on silicon carbide fibers, oxide fibers, and single crystal oxide fibers made by directional solidification, as well as glass and carbon fibers. The remainder of the book covers polymer and metallic fibers and wires. It also includes sections on natural fibers and carbon nanotubes. On the whole, the book is well prepared with relatively few typographical errors. Unfortunately, some of the diagrams are of a rather poor quality, which does not appear to be the fault of the publisher. The volume is full of interesting information with useful indexes and I could find things I wanted quite rapidly. There are some interesting articles on the fractography of fiber failure, but there is also a lot of information that does not seem to be relevant to fracture. For instance, the article on carbon fibers devotes only a few pages to fracture – and these are mostly pictures. No doubt it is important to understand the background in terms of structure and processing, but one could only feel that fracture was of lesser importance. This is reflected in many of the other articles, where topics such as creep or modulus are discussed in more detail than fracture and one wonders whether fracture is as important as the title and explanation on the back cover suggest. The article on natural polymeric fibers does discuss fracture in detail. However, the discussion of brittleness in terms of the Weibull modulus is misleading. Brittleness is dependent on the energy dissipated during cracking; the Weibull modulus is associated with the scatter in the strengths. Nonzero values of the Weibull modulus do not imply that there are ductile contributions to failure. However, these minor misgivings cannot detract from the usefulness of this book as a tremendous source of information and references, covering many of the types of fiber. I have absolutely no doubt that this book will have great appeal to those specializing in the mechanical behavior of materials and to researchers in the field of fiber and composite processing and properties. Bill Clegg is a reader in ceramics in the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, UK. M. Elices and J. Llorca Fiber Fracture (2002) Elsevier, 400 pp., ISBN: 0-08-044104-1 $175 / 175 52 July/August 2003