Book excerpt: Arranged to give prominence to the nature and properties of surfaces rather than to process methods. Describes 76 coatings and surface treatments, including acrylic polymers, cobalt and alloys of it, sprayed or slurry-applied chromium oxide, nitrocarburising of steel and cast iron, oil and oleoresinous paints, silver, thermal hardening and vapor deposited ceramic compounds. Then considers coating and treatment methods, such as cladding, electrophoretic deposition, metal powder coating with organic and inorganic binders, and weld surfacing. A final section presents a guide to coating and treatment characteristics, among the smoothness, solderability, friction coefficient, corrosion protection in various environments, uniformity of thickness, fitness for contact with food, and cost. Paper edition (unseen), $124.00. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR