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Superhydrophobic coatings have attracted substantial scientific research in recent years due to their real-world applications in a variety of fields including anti-corrosion, anti-icing, anti-fogging, oil separation and self-cleaning materials. Several approaches and methods have been used in developing superhydrophobic coatings on different substrates. This book guides readers through their fabrication and application, representing the latest significant advances in this important topic. Split into four sections, Part One concentrates on the fundamental principles of surface wettability and superhydrophobicity, before moving into Part Two and Part Three, which focus on different aspects of superhydrophobic coatings based on the materials used for fabrication and the substrate on which the coating is applied. Finally, Part Four focuses on the applications of these coatings. This book will serve as a valuable reference for graduate students, researchers and industrial practitioners in multiple industries working on surface wettability, materials chemistry and coatings related technologies.

Compounds with multiple anions provide a new materials platform, bringing a new degree of freedom for designing materials. Mixed-anion compounds have seen a recent resurgence in interest owing to their intriguing properties for a wide variety of applications. The purpose of this book is a systematic description of the science of mixed-anion compounds with a comprehensive description of synthesis, analysis, applications, and computational science related to mixed-anion compounds. The book will be of particular interest to postgraduate students and researchers in inorganic solid-state chemistry, computational science and the synthesis, analysis and application of mixed-anion compounds.

Billions of people globally live under conditions of water stress and water shortage, or with contaminated water sources. Anthropogenic contaminants pose an extra challenge as water purification technology must be constantly developed or upgraded to deal with newly fabricated pollutants. One of the UN sustainable development goals is to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. Therefore, it is vital to develop novel materials and technologies for producing clean drinking water in a human safe, economically reasonable and environmentally sustainable way. Novel Materials and Water Purification introduces recent approaches to the fabrication of novel materials for water purification and discusses several significant applications including removal of heavy metals and pharmaceuticals. This is a timely work of high interest to researchers and learners in the fields of water science, water management and materials science.

Many of the polymers we use every day are highly flammable. Historically, a large number of home fires were caused by ignited polymeric materials until legislation was introduced requiring fire retardants to be added to these materials. Fire retardants increase the time it takes for materials to ignite, providing valuable time to prevent a fire or escape. However, it has become apparent that many of the traditional treatments used as fire retardants are harmful to human health and highly persistent in the environment. With evermore polymeric materials in our homes and lives it is still highly valuable to be able to make fire retardants, but consideration must be given to their environmental impact and sustainability. Green Fire Retardants for Polymeric Materials looks at both the choice of different materials and treatments for improving the fire retardancy of polymeric materials, as well as green approaches to synthesising these fire retardants. It is a timely resource both for green chemists interested in real world applications for their work and polymer scientists keen to increase the sustainability of their products and processes.

In recent years, there has been a lot of interest in using nanotechnology in medicine to diagnose and cure various infectious diseases. Although the precise mechanism of action is frequently challenged, many nanosized materials have been extensively explored for this purpose, using their innately unique features. Their functionality has also been enhanced by the addition of various coatings, such as those that increase chemical stability and stealth properties or contain targeting agents that lessen off-target effects while producing effective'smart'nanoplatforms for the early detection, treatment, and possibly resolution of diseases. This book aims to compile research and review articles that concentrate on the synthesis, characterization, and applications of nanomaterials, such as nanoparticles, with a focus on investigating novel ways to improve their properties and create new efficient diagnostic, therapeutic, or theranostic approaches with a clear understanding of how they work.

Flexible metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are a unique class of porous materials that feature stimuli-responsive flexible structures and dynamic structural transformation behaviours. Exhibiting structural changes in response to physical or chemical stimuli creates related functions that can be developed for practical applications. The specific components and architectures of flexible MOFs are key to their unique properties, so understanding their chemistry is of critical importance for more targeted construction and functional research. This book provides an accessible overview of the historical background of the chemistry of flexible MOFs and their features; in particular, design and synthesis, dynamic structure analysis, flexibility, function and theoretical treatment, and interpretation of the mechanisms as well as their applications. It gives readers a fundamental understanding of this chemistry and will be of great help to young researchers, as well as those already familiar with conventional porous materials in creating new materials.

There is an increasing awareness that materials and chemicals produced from fossil fuels are not sustainable, both in terms of the pollution caused by the extraction and production processes, and the fact that there is only a finite supply of these fossil fuels. Therefore, there is a strong incentive to find sources for chemicals and materials from source materials that we know we can continue to generate. Plants are a source of a wide variety of chemicals, many with interesting properties, and these chemical feedstocks are considered renewable rather than finite. Green Chemistry and Green Materials from Plant Oils and Natural Acids covers the application of these natural materials in producing polymers, lubricants and plasticisers.

Sensors are significantly relevant to many aspects of life. The advancements in nanotechnology-based sensing systems are giving rise to exciting developments in sensor applications. Recently, nanocomposites have become highly promising candidates for the designing of new chemical sensing and biosensing platforms. Graphene-based nanocomposites have been successfully employed in many sensing applications in view of their excellent physical properties including high surface area, electrical conductivity, flexibility and optical transparency. They provide remarkable advantages such as lower fabrication costs, improved biocompatibility, prominent sensitivity, stability and selectivity for effective real-world implementation. The aim of the book is to give an overview on the properties and novel applications of graphene-based nanocomposites as chemical and biosensors. Chapters highlight various biosensing applications such as diabetes monitoring, cancer cell detection, virus, bacteria, DNA, protein and amino acid sensing, as well as hormone and cholesterol detection. Moreover, chemical sensing applications like gas, alcohol, and food toxin sensing, heavy metal ion detection, and H2O2 sensing are also covered. The book is ideal for postgraduates, analytical chemists, biomedical scientists and researchers in both academic and industrial settings working on materials science, chemical science and nanotechnology.

Activated carbon has long been used for filtering contaminants, thanks to its large surface area for adsorption. This, and other properties has led to a growing interest in activated carbon and a broader range of applications. This book explores the various forms of activated carbon, detailing how they can be prepared and characterised. The editors bring together a global team of authors from industry and academia. Their contributions include environmental and medical applications, as well as various industries. Future directions are also considered. The editors are at the Interdisciplinary Center for Research in Advanced Materials, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia. They present an up-to-date and comprehensive reference aimed at all career levels in chemistry and materials science, engineering and research across the diverse industries finding a use for activated carbon.

One of the current research lines in analytical chemistry is the design and utilization of novel materials with higher selectivity and improved analytical performance in various steps of chemical analysis. In this sense, Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have attracted attention as a potential alternative to current commercially available materials. MOFs present an interesting set of properties, such as diverse structural topologies, modifiable pore size, high porosity, tuneable surface area, diverse composition, and versatile functionality. This book covers multipurpose usage MOFs in sample preparation, integration, and detection stages of analytical chemistry. Along with the application of MOFs in green analytical methodologies. It will serve as a reference book for researchers, scientists and engineers who are interested in developing new materials as well as researchers who are interested in new application development.

In the first book dedicated to this rapidly expanding research area, Mechanical Behaviour of Metal-Organic Framework Materials, provides a convenient introduction to how chemistry determines structure-mechanical property relationships and functional performance. Much of the research efforts in metal-organic framework (MOF) and hybrid framework materials focus on synthesis and adsorption related properties. But practical applications of MOFs require a precise understanding of mechanical properties and knowledge of structure-property relationships, to ensure robustness in device manufacturing and mechanical resilience for long-term performance. Readers will learn through key experimental and theoretical techniques for studying MOF mechanical properties including elastic and plastic behaviour, framework dynamics, high-pressure response, rate effects, anomalous mechanical behaviour and failure mechanisms. Edited by a pioneer of the field and with contributions by leading researchers developing the new science of “MOF Mechanics”, this book is suitable for both students and researchers who are new to the field.

As a result of their unique physical properties, biological membrane mimetics such as biopolymers are used in a broad range of scientific and technological applications. This comprehensive book covers new applications of biopolymers in the research and development of industrial scale nutraceutical and functional food grade products. All the major food biopolymers are included, from plant, animal and marine sources. Coverage also includes biopolymer-based drug delivery mechanisms intended for biological applications such as bio-detection of pathogens, fluorescent biological labels, and drug and gene delivery. This is the first interdisciplinary book to address this area specifically and is essential reading for those who produce the functional biopolymer materials as well as those who seek to incorporate them into appropriate nutraceutical, food and drug delivery products.

Current environmental and energy concerns have led to lignin gaining increased attention in the last decade as a renewable biomass. Due to its structural and functional properties, such as antimicrobial behaviour, biodegradability, biocompatibility and ease of surface modifications, lignin-based materials have gained popularity in the biomedical field with applications ranging from tissue engineering scaffolds and wound dressing materials to drug delivery carriers. Using this book, the reader will learn about the chemistry of lignin, and the characterization, fabrication and properties of lignin-based composites with different matrices (thermosets, thermoplastics, elastomers etc.). In addition, the book illustrates how these materials are used in medical applications, covering drug delivery, wound dressing, tissue engineering, imaging, etc. Providing a neat overview of the current research for the biomaterials science community, this book is a one-stop resource for researchers and practitioners working on lignin-based biomaterials. For those active in the broader fields of materials science and biomedical engineering, this will be a useful reference and study aid.

Hydrogels are highly hydrated three dimensional networks with the ability to mimic the extracellular matrix of bodily tissues and have thus found application in a wide range of biomedical applications. Unique physiochemical properties such as biocompatibility, water permeability, stimuli responsiveness and self-healing characteristics make them especially useful for use as scaffolds and matrices drug delivery, tissue engineering/regeneration and sensing. Their weak and brittle nature, however, often limits their widespread application where improved mechanical strength is required. To resolve this problem, there has been a significant amount of research into the improvement of their mechanical properties. Among these efforts, versatile multicomponent hydrogels have received much attention as their physiochemical properties can be structurally engineered to provide a wide range of desired properties. These multicomponent formulations also allow for the combination of natural and synthetic polymers, which offers the scope to exploit the advantages of each component, with the synergistic effects resulting from mutual interactions. This book critically discusses the fundamental chemistry, synthesis, characterisation, physiochemical and biological properties of various types of multicomponent hydrogels. It reviews the different strategies employed in designing and synthesizing cutting-edge multicomponent hydrogels and their key applications in biomedical fields. The work is suitable for researchers working in the specific area of multicomponent hydrogels, and also more generally for those working in materials science, biomedical engineering, biomaterials science and tissue engineering.

Rechargeable batteries are one of the crucial ways we are going to solve the sustainable energy crisis. Lithium-ion batteries have been commercialised and are heavily relied upon, however, the scarcity of lithium resources increases the production cost and hinders further application. Additionally, the toxic and flammable electrolyte brings many potential safety hazards including environmental pollution. Looking for low-cost, safe, and environmentally friendly alternatives to LIBs has become a valuable research direction. The modification of batteries is focused on the anode, the cathode and electrolyte. Globally, researchers have moved onto new rechargeable batteries based on multivalent metal ions which have been extensively studied, including K+, Ca2+, Mg2+ and Al3+. However, the electrolyte is a very important component of a battery as its physical and chemical properties directly affect the electrochemical performance and energy storage mechanism. Finding and selecting an appropriate electrolyte system is a crucial factor that must be taken into account to make these post-lithium-ion batteries commercially viable. Until now, it has been challenging to develop a suitable electrolyte with a wide electrochemical stability window and stable anode interface. This book covers all the major ion-battery groups and their electrolytes, examining their performance and suitability in different solvents: aqueous, non-aqueous, solid gel and polymer. It is suitable for all levels of students and researchers who want to understand the fundamentals and future challenges of developing electrolytes.

Combustion agents for solid fuel propellants and explosives have gained widespread interest in recent years. Their high gravimetric heat of combustion enhances the performance of modern energetic materials. Borohydride compounds have proved to be excellent candidates in this application. High-energy Combustion Agents of Borohydrides covers the most recent developments in the advanced combustion agents of borohydrides. Experimental studies covering the synthesis and characterisation of borohydrides are examined, as well as the interactions between borohydride and propellant ingredients. The properties of BHN/nano Al composites are discussed, as is the effect of borohydrides on the properties of fuel-rich solid propellants. The book concludes with a summary of the prospective development of high-energy combustion agents in solid propellants and explosives, and looks into the future development of military applications. Authored by renowned experts in the field, this book will appeal to researchers in academia and industry seeking a better understanding of how to improve the ignition and combustion performance of propellants and explosives.

Electrolytes are indispensable components in electrochemistry and the fast-growing electrochemical energy storage markets. Research in electrolytes has witnessed exponential growth in recent years, accompanied by their applications in the most popular electrochemical cell ever invented, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In myriads of LIBs, electrolytes and their interphases determine how high the voltage of a battery is, how many times it can be charged/discharged, or how rapid the energy stored therein could be released. The conquest of further technical challenges around safety, life and cost-effectiveness of lithium-based or beyond-lithium batteries requires in-depth understanding of electrolytes and interphases. This will be the authoritative textbook for those entering the field. Chapters will establish the fundamental principles for the field, before moving onto important knowledge acquired in recent years. There will be special emphasis on linking these fundamentals to real-world problems encountered in devices, especially lithium-ion batteries. The book will be suitable for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students in electrochemical energy storage, electrochemistry, materials science and engineering, as well as researchers new to the subject.

Moving through the historical evolution of traditional amorphous 1D organic polymers to crystalline 3D networks, through 0D molecular cages and 2D frameworks, this book takes the reader on a journey on how covalently bonded materials and their hybrids can change the material world through applications relevant to energy, water and the environment. Looking at future demands from the materials that we use, strong, heavy and thermodynamically stable metals have been independently taken over by carbon allotropes and analogous materials. Equipment and instruments are becoming smaller and lighter, with research driving towards future organic materials with advanced physical, chemical, mechanical and optoelectronic properties. This book classifies and touches on every aspect of polymeric material chemistry, advanced characterizations and emerging reticular chemistry, especially organic porous materials, their design, synthesis, structure and built-in functions. The design, synthesis, structure, characterization, and properties of carbon rich framework materials are systematically reviewed to provide key information of the entire field. Arranged in chronological order to show changes made in ideas and strategies in developing these covalently framed materials to meet modern requirements, chapters cover linear polymers, organic cages, fullerene, carbon nanotubes, graphene and graphite, porous organic polymers, 2D- and 3D-covalent organic frameworks, and their hybrids. This book is an ideal introduction for students wanting to pursue this emerging field and gain knowledge on polymers and advanced organic materials. It will also update current researchers on recent developments, explored properties, and arising challenges of covalent materials.

The exploration of new-family desalination techniques has become increasingly important in recent decades. Capacitive deionization (CDI) has attracted multidisciplinary interest as a promising alternative to the conventional desalination techniques of reverse osmosis and electro-osmosis, due to several attractive features such as low energy consumption, environmental friendliness, and high water utilization efficiency. CDI desalts saline water through storing ions in electrical double layers of porous carbons or by redox reactions with faradic materials. This is the first book to specialise in CDI and aims to showcase the fundamentals and progressive achievements of the research. Chapters cover the timeline of CDI technologies, the expansion of new-family electrode materials, exploitation of new-concept CDI devices, and applications of CDI in other new areas. In addition, the book provides new insights into future directions for the development of CDI and other emerging nanotechnologies for addressing the energy-water nexus. Edited by a founder of the field, the book will be of interest to those researching water desalination and purification across chemistry, materials science and environmental science.

Silicon-containing Polymers reflects the growing interest worldwide in this developing field. Silicon polymers are now finding use as moulding materials, rubbers, ceramic precursors, in lithography and reprography as photosensitive materials, as conducting polymers, and in a host of other applications. This book presents up-to-date research from all over the world. It brings together research from the forefront of a multidisciplinary subject, covering the synthesis, modification, characterization, properties and applications of polysiloxanes, polysilylenes, polysilazanes and organosilicate derivatives. Silicon-containing Polymers will be of interest to researchers and postgraduates in any area of materials science, as well as some areas of inorganic chemistry.

Wound healing following trauma, illness, or surgery is a complex process and is comprised of a particularly fragile sequence of biochemical events that are susceptible to interruption or failure, which can lead to non-healing chronic wounds, scarring and other issues. Non-healing wounds are also commonly associated with diabetes, arterial disease, infection, and the metabolic deficiencies of aging. Treatment of dermal wounds can therefore be challenging, and as such the ability to localise the effect of drugs and treatments to promote healing through protective materials is an attractive area of research. This book introduces the essential areas of skin anatomy and the wound healing process, and how this can be disrupted by various pathologies, and proceeds to outline how biomaterials and devices for dermal drug delivery (including controlled delivery via stimuli-responsive devices) can be utilised in effective wound management. This book is an ideal companion for postgraduates and researchers in a variety of disciplines including biomedical engineering, biomaterials, drug development and delivery, formulation science and tissue engineering.

The International Explosives Conference (IEC) champions cutting-edge, deep-science research conducted internationally in the energetic materials sector. Designed for professionals, academics and researchers, it is involved in the fundamental science of explosives and other energetic materials. Set firmly in the context of ‘future developments', IEC-2022 presents and debates the themes of: energetic materials and characterisation; manufacturing and processing; response to stimuli; advances in experimental techniques and diagnostics and theory, modelling and simulation. IEC-2022 took place in London from 22 to 24 June 2022 and this publication provides a record of the proceedings for the oral presentations and display posters that were showcased at the event.

Since the discovery of graphene, two-dimensional nanomaterials including Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), Hexagonal Boron Nitride (hBN), non-layered compounds, black phosphorous, and Xenes with large lateral dimensions, have emerged as promising candidates for heterogenous electrocatalysis owing to their exceptional physical, chemical, and electronic properties. The tremendous opportunities of using 2D nanomaterials in electrochemical CO2 reduction arises from their unique properties and vast number of applications. Covering the fundamentals, properties, and applications, all aspects of 2D nanomaterial composites within carbon dioxide conversion are discussed. The industrial scale-up and new challenges that exist in the field of electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide will also be presented. With chapters written by internationally recognized researchers, this state-of-the-art overview will serve the growing interest amongst academic and industrial researchers in understanding 2D nanomaterials composites, their hidden interfaces and nanoscale dispersion of the metal oxide with nanocomposites for specific uses in carbon dioxide conversion to chemicals for fuel applications. This book will be of interest to graduate students and researchers in materials science, energy, and environmental science, as well as those in industry.

Inorganic glasses are successfully used in the biomedical field, in particular degradable glasses have found applications in tissue engineering, bone regeneration and tooth remineralisation. Silicate glasses are the most commonly used ones but phosphate and borate glasses are attracting more and more interest owing to their special properties, differing from those of silicate bio-glasses. Phosphate and borate glasses thus open up potential routes for new therapeutic applications. This book focuses on these emerging materials. Bridging the phosphate and borate glasses communities, this book provides a fundamental treatment of atomic structure and physicochemical properties before highlighting their current and potential future applications. Phosphate and borate glasses not only feature a broader range of glass formation than silicate glasses. Their ability to completely dissolve in water with the solubility varying over orders of magnitude with compositional changes, makes them exciting materials for delivering therapeutic agents into the human body. Biomaterials scientists working in glasses, hard tissue engineering and regenerative medicine will find this a must-have book to own, alongside their more traditional silicate glass tomes.

The exploration of photothermal nanomaterials with high light-to-heat conversion efficiency has paved the way for practical applications, including in cancer therapy, environmental remediation, catalysis, imaging and biomedicine. Covering the photothermal effect of different categories of light-absorbing nanomaterials, and focusing on metallic nanomaterials, 2D materials, semiconductors, carbon-based nanomaterials, polymeric nanomaterials and their composites, chapters in this book provide a systematic summary of recent advances in the fabrication and application of photothermal nanomaterials, discussing advantages, challenges and potential opportunities. This text will be a valuable resource for scientists working on photothermal nanomaterials, as well as those interested in the applications across chemistry, biomedicine, nanotechnology and materials science.

Extracellular and biofluids vesicles (EVs) are highly specialised yet ubiquitous nanoscale messengers secreted by cells. With the development of stem cell engineering, EVs promise to deliver next generation tools in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, as well as in diagnostics. A vibrant and promising field, this book provides the first resource to the field. Covering basic cell biology, including EV production and intracellular communication, this book will provide material scientists and engineers with a foundation to the necessary biology. The reader will then learn about the isolation of extracellular vesicles their physicochemical characterisation and therapeutic application of EVs in regenerative medicine as well as their potential as biomarkers in medical diagnostic. This book will also discuss the regulatory landscape of EVs. Bridging cell biology, biomaterials, biophysics and biomedical engineering the content of this book is written with a broad interdisciplinary audience in mind. Researchers, new and established will find this a must-have on their shelf.

Nanotechnology is a promising technique that can facilitate sustainability across a wide range of areas. By fabricating materials into nanometre-scale, nanotechnology has facilitated an efficient, economically, and environmentally acceptable solution for waste treatment and energy production. This book illustrates how green nanotechnology is being used to promote sustainability, including applications in environmental remediation and energy optimization. First, a comprehensive discussion of the latest advances to address the global challenges in water purification, CO2 management, plastics issue, food waste valorisation, toxic chemical pollutes, and energy efficiency will be provided. This is followed by the new opportunities that have been created in the production of alternative renewable energy under the premise of low natural resource consumption and minuscule toxicity production. Offering an important reference for the research community to understand more about green nanotechnology and its applications in sustainable development and circular economy. The book will be of interest to graduate students and researchers in nanotechnology, materials science, sustainability, environmental science, and energy.

Elastomeric proteins are ubiquitous in nature, where they have evolved precise structures and properties that are necessary to perform specific biological roles and functions. This book emphasizes the impact of amino acid sequence on modulating protein structure, properties, and function. Examples include conformational ensemble dynamics, environmental responsiveness, self-assembly, physico-mechanical properties, morphology, and properties tailored for biomedical applications. This foundational framework is not only critical to advance scientific understanding and knowledge on elastomeric proteins but also enables the conceptualization, rational design, and development of biosynthetic elastomers and their analogous polypeptides for a variety of applications. Edited and contributed by pioneering researchers in the field, the book provides a timely overview of the materials, along with the synthesis techniques, the unique characteristics of elastomeric proteins, and biomedical and industrial applications. The book will provide a reference for graduate students and researchers interested in designing biomimetic proteins tailored for various functions.

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are crystalline porous materials constructed from metal ions/clusters and organic linkers, combining the merits of both organic and inorganic components. Due to high porosity, rich functionalities, well-defined open channels and diverse structures, MOFs show great potentials in field such as gas storage and separation, catalysis, and sensing. Combining them with polymers tunes their chemical, mechanical, electrical and optical properties, and endows MOFs with processability. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are crystalline porous materials built from organic molecular units with diverse structures and applications. Hybrid materials with intriguing properties can be achieved by appropriate preparation methods and careful selection of MOFs/COFs and polymers, broadening their potential applications. This book documents the latest research progress in MOF/COF-polymer hybrid materials and reviews and summarises hybridization strategies to achieve MOF/COF polymeric composites. It also introduces various applications and potential applicable scenarios of hybrid MOF/COF polymers. Hybrid Metal–Organic Framework and Covalent Organic Framework Polymers offers an overview to readers who are new to this field, and will appeal to graduate students and researchers working on porous materials, polymers, hybrid materials, and supramolecular chemistry.

Nanotubes (both of carbon and inorganic materials) can be made in a variety of ways, demonstrating a wide range of fascinating properties. Many of these, such as high mechanical strength and interesting electronic properties relate directly to potential applications. Nanowires have been made from a vast array of inorganic materials and provide great scope for further research into their properties and possible applications.Chapters in this book systematically describe the fundamentals and applications of nanotubes and nanowires, providing a comprehensive and up-to-date survey of the research area, including synthesis, characterisation, properties and applications.This new edition of Nanotubes and Nanowires includes an extensive list of references and is ideal both for graduates needing an introduction to the field of nanomaterials as well as for professionals and researchers in academia and industry.Review of Nanotubes and Nanowires 1st Edition:“This book does a truly admirable job of summarizing the literature in this rapidly changing field.” Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2006, 128, 4163-4164Review of Nanotubes and Nanowires 2nd Edition:“Rao and Govindaraj do a superb job of distilling the huge literature on inorganic nanotubes and nanowires.” Chemistry & Industry, 2011, 24, 27

Materials have the potential to be the centrepiece for the transition to viable renewable energy technologies if they realise a specific suite of properties and achieve a desired set of performance metrics. The envisioned transition involves the discovery of materials that enable generation, conversion, storage, transmission, and utilization of renewable energy. This book presents, through the eye of materials chemistry, an umbrella view of the myriad of classes of materials that make renewable energy technologies work. They are poised to facilitate the transition of non-renewable and unsustainable energy systems of the past into renewable and sustainable energy systems of the future. It is a story that often begins in chemistry laboratories with the discovery of new energy materials. Yet, to displace materials in existing energy technologies with new ones, depends not only on the ability to design and engineer a superior set of performance metrics for the material and the technology but also the requirement to meet a demanding collection of economic, regulatory, social, policy, environmental and sustainability criteria. Disruption in the traditional way of discovering materials is coming with the emergence of artificial intelligence, machine learning and robotic automation designed to accelerate the well-established discovery process, massive libraries of materials can be evaluated and the possibilities are endless. This book provides a perspective on the application of these new technologies to this field as well as an overview of energy materials discovery in the broader techno-economic and social context. Any budding researcher or more experienced materials scientist will find a guide to a fascinating story of discovery and emerge with a vision of what is next.

The concept of nanoarchitechtonics was introduced to describe the correct manipulation of nanoscale materials in the creation of nano-devices and applications. Nanoarchitectonics has begun to spread into many fields including nanostructured materials synthesis, supramolecular assembly, nanoscale structural fabrications, materials hybridizations, materials and structures for energy and environmental sciences, device and physical application, and bio- and medical applications. Following on from the 2012 title Manipulation of Nanoscale Materials, Concepts and Design of Materials Nanoarchitectonics covers the introductory features underlying the field, presenting a unifying overview of the theoretical aspects and emerging applications that are changing the capability to understand and design advanced functional materials. Edited by pioneers of the field, this book will appeal to researchers working in nanoscience, materials science, supramolecular chemistry, physical chemistry and organic chemistry, as well as graduate students in these areas.

Anyone who has taught materials chemistry will be aware that it is an expansive subject. Whilst this makes it exciting, it can also overwhelm students who end up lost in the detail. This book provides an antidote. Aimed at advanced undergraduate and graduate students, Core Concepts for a Course on Materials Chemistry is a distillation of the fundamental topics born out of the author's 30 years of teaching experience.Covering many broad themes in materials chemistry, this textbook provides teachers and students with the essential concepts in a concise form. Taking a systematic approach, the book is arranged into seven chapters: Solid State StructureDefects and Non-stoichiometry Thermal PropertiesElectrical Properties Magnetic Properties Optical PropertiesMaterials Synthesis and Fabrication The author adopts a telescopic approach to each area, capturing the broader picture before detail is revealed, allowing students to readily make logical connections. The strong visual focus conveys complex ideas in a comprehensive style, supporting the physical and analytical presentation. A note on how to effectively use the book is included for instructors, making this text easy to embed in existing or new materials chemistry courses. Students will benefit from the numerous examples that place the topics in the right context, and the exercises that test comprehension. Suitable for chemists and materials scientists, this book is ideal for self-study, as well as for the efficient teaching of a course.

Mechanobiology is a new research field that investigates how the physical forces and changes in mechanical properties of cells and tissues contribute to their development, physiology and disease. One unique feature in the mechanical regulation, distinct from chemical/biochemical one, is that it can directly react with the multi-layered architectures of living systems, ranging from nano-scale proteins, subcellular organelles, cells, tissues, organs to whole bodies; one could term it “mechanoarchitectonics”. Another important aspect is its time-dependent dynamic feature. Not only time evolution in cells and extracellular matrices, but their intrinsic viscoelastic nature makes mechanical interaction dissipative and such feature is critical in cellular mechanical responses. This book focuses on recent progress in mechanobiology from the materials science perspective, encompassing innovative material designs for force measurements and actuation to resolve dynamic mechanobiology and mechanoarchitectonics, by better mimicking physiologically relevant and time-evolving cellular mechanical environments. It also shows the marriage between cutting-edge materials science which enable spatiotemporal manipulation of material and cell dynamics in multi-dimensions and molecular biological techniques such as genome editing and next generation sequencing for cell fate/motility engineering and disease modelling, with the aim of providing valuable insights into the latest technological advances and discoveries in areas such as stem cell, fibroblast, heart, tumour, and epithelial mechanobiology. Edited by leaders in the field, this book will be suitable for a broad range of readers, including materials scientists, biomaterial and biomedical engineering researchers and those working in chemical and mechanical engineering to expand possibilities of system designs for the developments of medical technologies based on mechanobiology.

Polysaccharides are natural, renewable materials that are biodegradable and biocompatible, making them ideal subjects for biomedical applications. This book focusses on the main polysaccharides, including but not limited to chitosan, cellulose, alginate, dextran, guar gum, gellan gum, pullulan, locust bean gum, pectin, xanthan gum, starch, hyaluronan and carrageenan, and their applications in drug delivery, imaging and tissue engineering. With contributions from around the world, the editors have pulled together a tightly curated set of chapters which showcase how polysaccharide-based materials are employed in a range of biomedical systems. The end result is a book in which the reader can gain a sound overview of this important class of material for biomedical applications, without scouring journal articles. Those working in materials science, biomedical and chemical engineering, and pharmaceutical technologies will find this a must-have reference.

Two-dimensional (2D) materials for photocatalytic applications have attracted attention in recent years due to their unique thickness-dependent physiochemical properties. 2D materials offer enhanced functionality over traditional three-dimensional (3D) photocatalysts due to modified chemical composition and electronic structures, as well as abundant surface active sites. This book reviews the applications of 2D-related nano-materials in solar-driven catalysis, providing an up-to-date introduction to the design and use of 2D-related photo(electro)catalysts. This includes not only application areas such as fine chemicals synthesis, water splitting, CO2 reduction, and N2 fixation, but also catalyst design and preparation. Some typical 2D and 2D-related materials (such as layered double hydroxides (LDHs), layered metal oxides, transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDs), metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), graphene, g-C3N4, etc.) are classified, and relationships between structure and property are demonstrated, with emphasis on how to improve 2D-related materials performance for practical applications. While the focus of this book will primarily be on experimental studies, computational results will serve as a necessary reference. With chapters written by expert researchers in their fields, Photocatalysis Using 2D Nanomaterials will provide advanced undergraduates, postgraduates and other researchers convenient introductions to these topics.

Smart materials stimulated by chemical or by logical signals hold promise for many applications, including new sensors and actuators for medicine, environmental and process control. In contrast to other books on responsive materials which are restricted to sensing, this volume not only highlights fundamental chemical and physical principles but also focuses on the use of smart materials for applications such as drug delivery, wound healing, cell adhesion, tuneable vesicles, surface control, smart paints and glasses, separations, oil recovery and artificial muscles. In this completely updated and expanded edition, readers are introduced to the area with chapters reflecting the enormous expansion of the field in recent years. Different responsive material systems will be covered including hydrogels, membranes, thin layers, polymer brushes, chemomechanical and imprinted polymers, nanomaterials and silica particles. With contributions from internationally recognised experts, the book will appeal to graduate students and researchers in academia, healthcare and industry interested in functional materials and their applications.