Oxford University Press, 2007, pp404, £44.95, ISBN 9780198516002

This book reviews the strengthening mechanisms in crystalline solids that only exhibit reversible elastic (inelastic) behaviour at a low homogeneous temperature range where the role of any diffusion would be negligible.

Mathematical models of strengthening crystals are presented with dislocations as the primary ‘carriers’ of plastic deformation in solids of body-centred cubic (BCC), face-centred cubic (FCC) and hexagonal close-packed (HCP) structures. In BCC and similar strongly directionally bonded solids, the glide of dislocations in their slip planes is restricted by lattice resistance of substantial magnitude at low temperatures, which creates high intrinsic plastic resistance, and hence high strength.

In comparison, FCC and HCP metals with better slip systems exhibit smaller lattice resistance. As a result, their strength can only be explained by extrinsic mechanisms developed via dislocation mechanics. The text describes factors that control dislocation motions in crystal lattices. These include interactions of dislocations with precipitate and solute atoms, influence on intrinsic lattice resistance of metals and semiconductors,
and intersection of dislocations in the process of plastic flow during strain/work hardening. Individual chapters are dedicated to all four major strengthening mechanisms, which are, however, argued to be inapplicable for a heterogeneous continuum plasticity approach.

The largest chapter of the book describes precipitation hardening where discrete obstacles from the precipitate interact with dislocations to produce various degrees of plastic shear resistance. The thermodynamics and kinetics of discrete precipitation of second phase, as well as the spinodal decomposition of alloys in unstable regions of equilibrium, are discussed. It is difficult to evaluate specific cases in relation to the interpretation of experimental results, since most precipitate particles combine more than one mechanism.

Lattice resistance to dislocation motion in a crystal lattice is described in terms of glide resistance (Peierls- Nabarro resistance) and phonon drag phenomenon. The latter is, of course, related to the interaction of a moving dislocation with lattice thermal vibration, and is thus primarily temperature dependent. A comparison of theory with experiments is presented for BCC transition metals and silicon.

Strengthening by strain/work hardening is reviewed in terms of inter- and intra-plane hardening mechanisms resulting respectively from interactions of the stress field of glide dislocations moving on parallel planes, and from dislocations interacting with slip obstacles in their glide plane. It is the intraplane hardening that is of more importance because of its direct relation to the effect of slip obstacles and association with observed microstructures.

Professor Argon, with his wealth of knowledge on strengthening mechanisms in solids, has presented a lucid, up-to-date review of the subject.