Materials and their properties usually limit the component designer. Advances in materials are critical because they enable new designs and product features that result in new or additional benefit to the component designer and user. This handbook takes a comparative approach geared toward problem solving and material selection. Chapters describe the state of the art in polymer composites, new tougher ceramics, intermetallics, metal matrix composites, metal alloys, as well as advances in manufacturing, nondestructive evaluation of structural ceramics, standards and codes, and corrosion.