Structural Intermetallics: Their Origins, Status, and Future

Structural Intermetallics: Their Origins, Status and Future
J.H. Westbrook

Today we are experiencing a revolution in the materials usgd in a broad variety of engineering applications -- incremental improvements in traditional materials simply will not do the job! As we face tne challenges and opportunities in moving for structural components from conventional alloys to ceramics, polymers, composites, and the intermetallics that are the subject of this Symposium, it is instructive to step back and review the analogous situation our forebears faced almost two centuries ago. In particular respect: to structural materials, to realize the potential of new mechanical engineering concepts, it was necessary then as it is now to recognize and understand both the strengths and the shortcomings of the new materials, to learn new processing techniques for them, and to devise new design approaches for their application. The successes our predecessors achieved by their ingenuity and perseverance in adopting a new class of structural material made possible the high tech civilization we enjoy today. We can do no less for our grandchildren and their descendants.

This paper was a keynote presentation at the meeting.

Publisher: TMS
Product Format: PDF
Pages: 1-15
Date Published: September 1, 1993
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