Dec 10 2008
The American Ceramic Society and the National Institute of Standards and Technology have just released ACerS-NIST Phase Equilibria Diagrams CD-ROM Database (Version 3.2). The new version contains more than 21,000 evaluated phase diagrams of ceramic systems such as oxides, salts, carbides, nitrides, boride, compound semiconductors and chalco-genides, and features over 1,000 new diagrams.
The ACerS-NIST Phase Equilibria Diagrams CD-ROM Database (Version 3.2). Credit: The American Ceramic Society
Critically evaluated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the searchable CD includes full commentary text, references, and plotter-quality diagrams.
The searchable CD is now available in single or multiple-user licenses at the ACerS website, plus ACerS and NIST now offer potential users a free, demo-CD version of the new edition.
"The American Ceramic Society and the National Institute of Standards and Technology have developed a free demonstration CD-ROM of Phase Diagrams Database 3.2 to showcase its new features," said Terrell Vanderah, editor-in-chief at NIST. "This searchable demo CD offers the same functionality as the full version, but with limited content consisting of the 202 figures published in past editions and 11 figures from the latest content-update."
The full version of Phase Diagrams Database 3.2 includes 817 new entries with 1,200 new diagrams. Besides the new material, the database includes the full commentary text, references and diagrams contained in the 21-volume Phase Equilibria Diagram book series. ACerS and NIST, however, point out that the new information in Version 3.2 is only available in electronic form and will not be published in a separate book.
An understanding of phase equilibria in ceramic systems is central to the use and development of materials in refractories, glass, and other high-temperature technologies. Phase equilibria provide guidance to scientists and researchers concerning the flexibility and constraints, dictated by forces of nature, on the evolution of phase assemblages in ceramics.
For nearly seventy years, NIST and ACerS have collaborated on the publication of evaluated phase diagrams for ceramic systems. The joint program supports the growth and progress in the ceramics industries by providing relevant, critically evaluated data.
Phase Diagrams Database 3.2 was developed to run on Microsoft Windows, but also runs on Microsoft Vista. The database is available in single and multiple user licenses.
Additional information and online order placement for the free demo CD-ROM is available at www.ceramics.org/phase. ACerS-NIST also offers three other methods for accessing phase-diagram content: Phase Equilibria Diagrams Online (www.phase.ceramics.org), a hardbound book series and five topical CD-ROMs.