Atomic Structure and Bonding

Abstract

Materials are the very foundations of technology, since without suitable materials nothing can be constructed. A portion of a dictionary definition of an engineer is: ‘one who designs or carries out the construction of works of public utility; one who constructs engines.’ It will be apparent that no matter how brilliant a new piece of engineering design may be, it is of no avail if there are no suitable materials available for converting the design into ‘hardware’.