The continuing rapid development of materials science and engineering is graphically reflected in the 130 articles in this second Supplementary Volume to the highly acclaimed Encyclopedia of Materials Science and Engineering. Under the guidance of a distinguished Editorial Advisory Board, Professor Robert Cahn has commissioned over 160 authorities worldwide to provide new articles in the expanding areas of composite materials, advanced and traditional ceramics, electronic and superconducting materials, elastomers and polymer applications, wood and paper, industrial minerals, materials characterization, surfaces and interfaces, fundamental physical metallurgy and metals processing, production and fabrication. All articles are extensively cross-referenced, subject-indexed and provided with select bibliographies for further reading. Special features of this and subsequent Supplementary Volumes are a cumulating analytical table of contents and subject-index which together will enable the reader to access information in the current or previous Supplementary Volumes without reference to earlier tables of indexes. Complete alphabetical lists of titles and contributors are also provided. The continuing publication of biennial Supplementary Volumes will ensure that the Encyclopedia of Materials Science and Engineering remains the single most comprehensive overview of recent research and development in all aspects of materials science and engineering.