Foreword

I have no hesitation in recommending this text. It is best described as a considerable work of scholarship. It makes a substantial contribution to the literature and will be of real value to both industry and academy.

Industrialists concerned with the production of stainless steels will find the logical development in this book of real value. Similarly, those concerned with the use of stainless steels in the production of components are catered for in considerable depth. Above all, those interested in the research aspects will find a text of substantial importance. It would certainly make an excellent support text for a post-graduate course on stainless steels. The emphasis on recent developments is to be appreciated.

The text begins with a general introduction (Chapter 1) which briefly covers the history of stainless steels and classifies them according to their microstructures. Chapters 2-7 then consider each of the classifications, ferritic, austenitic, martensitic, duplex, precipitation-hardening and high nitrogen stainless steels. The various problems that occur with particular classes of stainless steels such as embrittlement, sensitisation intergranular corrosion, etc., are outlined. These chapters (2-7) also cover the control of the various transformations (martensitic, spinodal precipitation) together with the control of properties.

Chapter 8 is concerned with the phases which precipitate in stainless steels. Some of the problems encountered with stainless steels are then covered in much more detail in Chapter 9 with the emphasis again on recent advances and discoveries. Here particularly useful reviews are given to hydrogen embrittlement, sensitisation, metal dusting, pitting, stress corrosion cracking, fatigue and creep.

The final four chapters deal with novel and new applications of stainless steels (Chapter 10), improvement of bulk and surface properties of stainless steels (Chapter 11), coloration of stainless steels (Chapter 12) and powder metallurgy of stainless steels (Chapter 13),

Each chapter is associated with a very extensive reference list. These reference lists includes the really significant historical references but the emphasis is, as it should be, on recent papers which has helped to develop the field of stainless steels and will continue to do so.

I feel this text will make a significant contribution to the field for many years and hope the authors will find the time to update it occasionally.