From the Editors' Preface The propulsion and airframe components in advanced aerospace systems, and several other engineering systems will rely heavily upon high-temperature materials with improved specific properties. One class of materials that has received significant attention in this regard is the silicon carbide reinforced titanium alloy matrix composites, commonly referred to as Titanium Matrix Composites (TMCs).
In the 1990's, an intense effort was directed towards the development, understanding, characterization and life prediction of TMCs. The primary interest arose from the National Aerospace Plane (NASP) Program in the U.S. where TMC was considered a prime candidate as a structural material for aircraft. . . . [This] and several other programs devoted a considerable amount of time and money towards TMCs, which resulted in major advancements in the state of the art of their performance, characterization and modeling. Also, several applications of TMCs were successfully fabricated to demonstrate clearly that this class of materials is technically feasible, ready to deliver projected benefits, and well past the stage of "one shot" applications. In fact, TMCs are consistently identified as one of the enabling material technologies for the twenty-first century.
It is, therefore, appropriate to assemble and document in one source a state-of-the-art review and summary of advancements related to mechanical behavior and related mechanical issues of TMCs under various thermo-mechanical loadings. . . .
This new book will be useful to all those involved in the research, development, engineering, evaluation and applications of high-performance engineering materials
