14 Best Materials Science Books

William Callister and David Rethwisch introduce materials science through metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites. Their ninth edition connects materials' structural features with their properties, helping engineering students understand the relationships that influence how different materials behave.

J. E. Gordon explains the physical and chemical properties that make materials such as metal, wood, glass, ceramics, and bone useful. He explores their strengths and weaknesses and how those properties guide choices in engineering.

Mark Miodownik investigates materials found in ordinary objects, including steel, glass, paper, and chocolate. Combining personal anecdotes, history, and materials science, he explains how their structures and properties shape technologies and the experiences of everyday life.

William Smith and Javad Hashemi introduce the scientific principles behind engineering materials and their practical selection. Topics include atomic bonding, crystal structures, mechanical properties, phase diagrams, alloys, polymers, ceramics, composites, corrosion, and electrical and magnetic behavior.

James Shackelford introduces the major categories of engineering materials and relates their properties to practical applications. The textbook surveys physical behavior and material choices, providing a foundation for understanding established materials and those used in advanced technologies.

Ivan Amato explores how scientists transform raw substances into the materials of modern technology. Historical accounts and interviews introduce plastics, composites, smart materials, and experiments at atomic scales, revealing the research behind objects and devices used in everyday life.

Donald Askeland explains how a material's structure and processing determine its properties and engineering uses. The textbook connects behavior at different scales with mechanical and physical performance, including changes caused by time, loading, and the environment.

Robert DeHoff explains how thermodynamic principles and data predict the equilibrium behavior of materials. The text develops tools for constructing and interpreting phase, predominance, and corrosion diagrams, connecting theoretical relationships with practical materials science problems.

C. Barry Carter and M. Grant Norton connect the structures and processing of ceramics with their properties and uses. The textbook examines defects, fabrication, and applications, including medical, energy, and nanoscale technologies, alongside industrial and environmental considerations.

Mark Miodownik uses a transatlantic flight to explore liquids encountered in everyday life, from drinks and soap to fuels and display technology. His scientific account explains their behavior, usefulness, and dangers through molecular properties and stories of human experience.

Philip Ball explores the design of materials for specific functions, from artificial tissues to information storage and energy technologies. His account links molecular structure with useful behavior and introduces research at the boundaries of several scientific disciplines.

Stephen Sass traces the relationship between materials and human societies, from stone and clay to metals, polymers, and silicon. He explains how the properties of substances and the ability to manipulate them have influenced technology and culture.

Larry Horath explains material properties and testing through practical applications and supervised laboratory exercises. The book combines basic principles with procedures for collecting, reporting, and interpreting test data, helping technology students evaluate materials used in products and structures.

O. P. Khanna surveys engineering materials and metallurgy, covering material properties, selection, and specialized uses. The text examines ferrous and nonferrous metals, ceramics, refractories, and alloys for demanding service conditions as part of a broad engineering reference.