Traditionally, new materials have been developed by empirically correlating their chemical composition, and the manufacturing processes used to form them, with their properties. Until recently, metallurgists have not used quantum theory for practical purposes. However, the development of modern density functional methods means that today, computational quantum mechanics can help engineers to identify and develop novel materials. Computational Quantum Mechanics for Materials Engineers describes new approaches to the modelling of disordered alloys that combine the most efficient quantum-level theories of random alloys with the most sophisticated numerical techniques to establish a theoretical insight into the electronic structure of complex materials such as stainless steels, Hume-Rothery alloys and silicates. The practical success of these approaches to applications in all of these areas are covered in detail.

This is the only book to cover the most recent developments in applied quantum theory and their use in modeling materials properties. It describes new approaches to modeling disordered alloys and focuses on those approaches that combine the most efficient quantum-level theories of random alloys with the most sophisticated numerical techniques. In doing so, it establishes a theoretical insight into the electronic structure of complex materials such as stainless steels, Hume-Rothery alloys and silicates.