The Quantitative Description of the Microstructure of Materials

This book, the product of a deep collaboration between the two authors, strikes a balance between the traditional approach and newly emerging techniques used to obtain a quantitative description of the microstructure of materials. The Quantitative Description of the Microstructure of Materials has a unique format that sets it apart from other books. The first half of the book gives a comprehensive account of the entire quantification process and presents material in a pedagogical style. Numerous examples appear throughout text to illustrate the methodology. A general introduction to the subject and basic concepts, definitions, techniques, and relationships are provided. Aspects of modern stereology are described in detail. Image processing, computer aided procedures of data analysis, and the elements of a system for image analysis also are discussed at length. The remaining chapters treat a series of significant examples in much more detail. This part of text offers information in an easy-to-access reference style, making it extremely useful as a guide to active researchers in the quantification guide. Topics include dislocations, internal and external surfaces, and quantitative characterization of thin film structures. The book covers geometry of grains and its effect on the properties of polycrystals. Particles, pores, and other isolated volumetric elements of the microstructure also are discussed.