This book presents the three-way relationship between structure, properties and processing of materials, providing students with an understanding of the behaviour of materials and how this behaviour can be controlled. The breadth of topical coverage includes not only the principles of material science and engineering, but also those of real-life materials; their advantages, applications and limitations. Material selection and processing is emphasized throughout and the differences and similarities between different classes of materials are discussed. This edition introduces up-to-date topics such as rapid solidification processing, toughening mechanisms in ceramics and photonic materials. Additional other topics discussed include the Arrhenius relationship, the unary phase diagram and dual phase steels. This book should be of interest to students on introductory degree and diploma courses in civil, mechanical, industrial, chemical and electrical engineering.