In recent decades, materials science—the science about the interrelations between composition, structure and properties of materials and the patterns of their changes under external influences—has been developing particularly intensively. Researchers of this field have created high-strength materials for parts and tools, have developed composite materials, and have discovered superconductors used in power engineering and other branches of engineering. At the same time, the methods of strengthening parts by thermal and chemical-thermal treatment were improved.
