Book excerpt: The Series in Metallurgy and Materials Science was initiated during the Diamond Jubilee of the Indian Institute of Metals (IIM). In the last decade the progress in the study and development of metallurgy and materials science, their applications, as well as the techniques for processing and characterizing them has been rapid and extensive. With the help of an expert editorial panel of international and national scientists, the series aims to make this information available to a wide spectrum of readers. This book is the third textbook in the series. Principles of Metallurgical Thermodynamics deals with the thermodynamics of reactive systems, with emphasis on the reactivity of metals and materials being used by metallurgical and materials scientists all over the world. Though the focus is on equilibrium thermodynamics, it also touches upon some methods to incorporate non-equilibrium effects relevant to material scientists. This knowledge will enable students to solve the challenging problems faced during operation in different materials-processing routes. It will also help in the search for new substances that might revolutionize high as well as low temperature applications because of their super-fluid and super-conducting properties, outer space environmental adaptability, and more attractive electrical, magnetic, and dielectric properties.