Three great texts on microstructures

Here they are, in the order of increasing level of generality, presentation and discussion:

• J.W. Martin, R.D. Doherty and B. Cantor, 1997: ‘Stability of microstructures in metallic systems’, Second edition, Cambridge University Press (IISc Main Library, 620.94 N97).

  As the name implies, this book contains “pure metallurgy", and it is great. The approach makes use of macroscopic thermo and kinetic ideas, that are familiar to those with undergraduate training not only in metallurgy, but also in materials engineering and ceramics.

• Rob Phillips, 2001: ‘Crystals, defects and microstructures’, Cambridge University Press (Metallurgy Library, 168829).

  This book straddles the fields of physics, continuum mechanics and materials science, and does it rather well. I would bet that it could become a bestseller in India if a low-priced edition is available; this is so particularly because of its ability to talk to, and interpret the languages of, people working in diverse fields: physics, mechanics, materials science and engineering.

• P.M. Chaikin and T.C. Lubensky, 1998: ‘Principles of condensed matter physics’, Cambridge University Press (IISc Main Library, 530.41 N98).

  This book is oriented towards graduate students in physics, and requires some serious facility with math. It is not just about microstructures, of course. It has an excellent discussion of models for all kinds of systems and phase transitions: crystalline solids, liquid crystals, liquids, magnetic materials, …

It turns out that all these books are published by the Cambridge University Press (CUP). The Indian paperback edition of Chaikin and Lubensky, at under Rs. 300 (about 6 US Dollars), is eminently affordable; my friends in physics tell me that it is a bestseller of sorts among physics students in India. Now, if only CUP can be convinced to bring out Indian editions of the others …