Books by John J. (University of California Gilman

Hardness is one the most important properties of solid materials and requires a comprehensive treatment. There are books on hardness testing and on the hardnesses of particular types of materials, but there are none that treat the physics and chemistry of the subject in a general way.

This 2003 book relates the strength characteristics of constituent atoms to the electronic structures. It begins with short reviews of classical and quantum mechanics followed by reviews of the three major branches of the strength of materials: elastic stiffnesses; plastic responses; and the nature of fracture.