Search

21st Century Nanoscience - A Handbook: Nanophotonics, Nanoelectronics, and Nanoplasmonics (Volume 6) will be the most comprehensive, up-to-date large reference work for the field of nanoscience. Handbook of Nanophysics by the same editor published in the fall of 2010 and was embraced as the first comprehensive reference to consider both fundamental and applied aspects of nanophysics. This follow-up project has been conceived as a necessary expansion and full update that considers the significant advances made in the field since 2010. It goes well beyond the physics as warranted by recent developments in the field. This sixth volume in a ten-volume set covers nanophotonics, nanoelectronics, and nanoplasmonics.Key Features: Provides the most comprehensive, up-to-date large reference work for the field. Chapters written by international experts in the field. Emphasises presentation and real results and applications. This handbook distinguishes itself from other works by its breadth of coverage, readability and timely topics. The intended readership is very broad, from students and instructors to engineers, physicists, chemists, biologists, biomedical researchers, industry professionals, governmental scientists, and others whose work is impacted by nanotechnology. It will be an indispensable resource in academic, government, and industry libraries worldwide. The fields impacted by nanophysics extend from materials science and engineering to biotechnology, biomedical engineering, medicine, electrical engineering, pharmaceutical science, computer technology, aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, food science, and beyond.

This book addresses the manufacturing methods, characteristic tubular morphologies, diverse functions, and potent applications of organic tubular architectures prepared or self-assembled from rationally designed molecular building blocks. The hollow cylindrical structures with high-aspect ratios are capable of creating unique functions that can be differentiated from well-known self-assembled nanostructures such as organic nanofibers, nanoribbons, and nanorods. Encapsulation, stabilization, transportation, release, and their cooperative functions pave the way for innovative chemical, physical, biological, and medical applications. The book presents attractive advantages of soft-matter nanotubes, which are also different from well-known hard-matter nanostructures such as carbon nanotubes. The topics and figures in this volume intrigue not only academic researchers but also engineers and university students.

This book covers newly emerging two-dimensional nanomaterials which have been recently used for the purpose of water purification. It focuses on the synthesis methods of 2D materials and answers how scientists/engineers/nanotechnologist/environmentalists could use these materials for fabricating new separation membranes and most probably making commercially feasible technology. The chapters are written by a collection of international experts ensuring a broad view of each topic. The book will be of interest to experienced researchers as well as young scientists looking for an introduction into 2D materials-based cross-disciplinary research.

This thesis explores the fascinating properties of domain walls in ferroelectric materials. Domain walls can be used as model systems to study fundamental aspects of interface physics, such as crackling noise, with implications extending to a broad variety of systems, from material fracture and earthquakes to solar flares and collective decision making. Ferroelectric domain walls also show functional properties absent from the domains themselves, such as enhanced conduction leading to the tantalizing possibility of reconfigurable nanoelectronic circuitry where domain walls are active components. This work discusses the crackling physics of domain walls in thin films of Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3, as well as links between the local conductivity of domain walls and nanoscale geometrical distortions due to defects, and discusses unusual polarization textures with rotational components at crossings of ferroelastic twin domains. The results presented in this thesishave important implications for the experimental study of crackling systems.

This book presents select proceedings of the International Conference on Future Learning Aspects of Mechanical Engineering (FLAME 2020). This book, in particular, focuses on characterizing materials using novel techniques. It covers a variety of advanced materials, viz. composites, coatings, nanomaterials, materials for fuel cells, biomaterials among others. The book also discusses advanced characterization techniques like X-ray photoelectron, UV spectroscopy, scanning electron, atomic power, transmission electron and laser confocal scanning fluorescence microscopy, and gel electrophoresis chromatography. This book gives the readers an insight into advanced material processes and characterizations with special emphasis on nanotechnology.

This bookshows how to enhance somebamboopropertiesandthesurface treatmentsforobtaininghigh strength nanocomposites. It describes the tensile, flexural and impact strength, surface behaviour, morphological analysis, infrared spectral functional analysis and thermal properties analysis of manufacture nanocomposites. It also investigates the optimization of fabrication techniquesto prepare bamboo nanocomposites reinforcedwithvarious polymers. The book alsodescribesenvironmental impact analysis of bamboo nanocomposites. This book concludes with the nano-enhancement on bamboo species to produce nanocomposites and possibleusage of nanocomposites materials in terms of sustainability and economics.

This book provides a complete overview of a wide range of nanomaterials from their synthesis and characterization to current and potential applications with special focus on the use of such nano-based products as functional agents in biomedical, environmental and industrial applications. It addresses the intrinsic relationship between aspects involving the synthesis of nanocompounds, their bio-physico-chemical properties and their interactions occurring in biomedical, environmental and industrial matrix. This book is of interest to engineers, academics and research scholars working in these fields.

The field of nanoscience continues to grow and, with such a vast landscape of material, careful distillation of the most important discoveries will help researchers find the key information they require. Nanoscience provides a critical and comprehensive assessment of the most recent research and opinion from across the globe. Topics covered in this volume include 2D materials for Li-ion batteries, porous organic polymers as an emerging platform for photocatalytic water splitting, smart materials for gas detection and monitoring and redox enzyme-mimicking nanomaterials. Covering energy, biological and nanomaterials applications, this volume appeals to anyone practising in nano-allied fields, or wishing to enter the nano-world. Readers will benefit from this resource as they are presented with the current thought and applications of nanoscience.

The 69th volume of the'Journal of Nano Research'was compiled from peer-reviewed articles presenting the research results in the synthesis and properties analysis of various nanomaterials and nanostructures for industrial applications in micro-, optoelectronics, mechatronics, chemical production, and environmental engineering. The research results can find practical applications in many areas of human activity.

Less than a decade ago, lead halide perovskite semiconductors caused a sensation: Solar cells exhibiting astonishingly high levels of efficiency. Recently, it became possible to synthesize nanocrystals of this material as well. Interestingly; simply by controlling the size and shape of these crystals, new aspects of this material literally came to light. These nanocrystals have proven to be interesting candidates for light emission. In this thesis, the recombination, dephasing and diffusion of excitons in perovskite nanocrystals is investigated using time-resolved spectroscopy. All these dynamic processes have a direct impact on the light-emitting device performance from a technology point of view. However, most importantly, the insights gained from the measurements allowed the author to modify the nanocrystals such that they emitted with an unprecedented quantum yield in the blue spectral range, resulting in the successful implementation of this material as theactive layer in an LED. This represents a technological breakthrough, because efficient perovskite light emitters in this wavelength range did not exist before.

This book presents state-of-the-art coverage of synthesis of advanced functional materials. Unconventional synthetic routes play an important role in the synthesis of advanced materials as many new materials are metastable and cannot be synthesized by conventional methods. This book presents various synthesis methods such as conventional solid-state method, combustion method, a range of soft chemical methods, template synthesis, molecular precursor method, microwave synthesis, sono-chemical method and high-pressure synthesis. It provides a comprehensive overview of synthesis methods and covers a variety of materials, including ceramics, films, glass, carbon-based, and metallic materials. Many techniques for processing and surface functionalization are also discussed. Several engineering aspects of materials synthesis are also included. The contents of this book are useful for researchers and professionals working in the areas of materials and chemistry.

This book provides a general overview and current state of the art of different types of metal oxide nanomaterials, either in nanoparticles or thin film structure. It covers from the development and optimization of different nanofabrication/synthesis techniques for nanostructures which are currently the attention of the research community, the study of the structure and interactions by different characterization techniques of heterostructured materials and the final impact in different applications such as nanotherapy, data storage, super magnets, high-frequency devices. The book's 13 chapters provide deep insight into the intriguing science of oxide materials and include contributions on novel technologies to fabricate nanomaterials with a broad range of functional properties (semiconducting, magnetic, ferroelectric, thermoelectric, optical, flexible and mechanical). This book is intended to the experts for consolidation of their knowledge but also for students who aim to learn and get basics of nanostructured metal oxides in diverse forms.

This handbook examines the recent advances in the nanotechnology of polymers and ceramics, which possess outstanding mechanical properties and compatibility given their unique physical and chemical properties caused by the unusually large surface area to volume ratios and high interfacial reactivity. This handbook highlights the various compositions and morphologies of polymer and ceramic nanomaterials that can serve as powerful tools for the diverse applications in areas such as electronics, photonics, shape-memory alloys, biomaterials and biomedical nanomaterials, graphene-based technologies, and textiles and packaging. The handbook addresses safety, economics, green production and sustainability. The book contains a section on functionalization of these molecules, which only increases the possibility of developing even more versatile materials that can be fine-tuned for specific applications. Filling a gap in the literature, this handbook provides comprehensive coverage of properties, fabrication, characterization, functionalization methods and applications at both experimental and theoretical models scales. Economic, toxicological, regulatory, and environmental concerns regarding applications are also discussed in detail. Special attention is paid to sustainable approaches that reduce costs in terms of chemicals and time consumption. The book covers research trends, challenges, and prospective topics as well.

This book presents state-of-the-art coverage of synthesis of advanced functional materials. Unconventional synthetic routes play an important role in the synthesis of advanced materials as many new materials are metastable and cannot be synthesized by conventional methods. This book presents various synthesis methods such as conventional solid-state method, combustion method, a range of soft chemical methods, template synthesis, molecular precursor method, microwave synthesis, sono-chemical method and high-pressure synthesis. It provides a comprehensive overview of synthesis methods and covers a variety of materials, including ceramics, films, glass, carbon-based, and metallic materials. Many techniques for processing and surface functionalization are also discussed. Several engineering aspects of materials synthesis are also included. The contents of this book are useful for researchers and professionals working in the areas of materials and chemistry.

This book focuses on recent interconnected topics in nanophotonics written by scientists at the forefront of these fields. The book presents results of numerical investigations of light-matter interactions at the nanoscale and in the attosecond regime using first-principles calculations while also discussing recent experimental developments of higher-order harmonic generation for the field of attosecond science. In addition to this, the book reviews recent advances in select topical areas such as highly efficiency solid-state light sources based on nanophotonics, plasmonic photochemical water splitting for efficient energy harvesting, and optical spectroscopy of single-walled carbon nanotubes with quite rich physics for future application in photonics.

This fourth book in the series Silicon Photonics gathers together reviews of recent advances in the field of silicon photonics that go beyond already established and applied concepts in this technology. The field of research and development in silicon photonics has moved beyond improvements of integrated circuits fabricated with complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) technology to applications in engineering, physics, chemistry, materials science, biology, and medicine. The chapters provided in this book by experts in their fields thus cover not only new research into the highly desired goal of light production in Group IV materials, but also new measurement regimes and novel technologies, particularly in information processing and telecommunication. The book is suited for graduate students, established scientists, and research engineers who want to update their knowledge in these new topics.

This book highlights the evolution of, and novel challenges currently facing, nanomaterials science, nanoengineering, and nanotechnology, and their applications and development in the biological and biomedical fields. It details different nanoscale and nanostructured materials syntheses, processing, characterization, and applications, and considers improvements that can be made in nanostructured materials with their different biomedical applications. The book also briefly covers the state of the art of different nanomaterials design, synthesis, fabrication and their potential biomedical applications. It will be particularly useful for reading and research purposes, especially for science and engineering students, academics, and industrial researchers.

This book provides comprehensive coverage of the most recent progress and developments in the field of magnetic nanoparticles, with special emphasis on new materials design approaches for magnetic nanoarchitectures, advanced characterization techniques, and a wide range of applications areas including permanent magnets, biomedicine, and life sciences. The book also features an exhaustive section on fundamentals, covering single particle effects, surface effects, and interparticle interactions. The book delivers a strong focus throughout on the multidisciplinarity of the subject spanning physics, chemistry, engineering, biology, medicine, and environmental science. This forward-looking contributed volume highlights future perspectives and areas of emerging research, and will be of great interest to advanced undergraduates, as well as researchers in academia and industry.

With the development of the scanning tunneling microscope, nanoscience became an important discipline. Single atoms could be manipulated in a controlled manner, and it became possible to change matter at its'ultimate'level; it is the level on which the properties of matter emerge. This possibility enables to construct and to produce devices, materials, etc. with very small sizes and completely new properties. That opens up new perspectives for technology and is in particular relevant in connection with nano-engineering.Nanosystems are unimaginably small and very fast. No doubt, this is an important characteristic. But there is another feature, possibly more relevant, in connection with nanoscience and nanotechnology. The essential point here is that we work at the'ultimate level'. This is the smallest level at which the properties of our world emerge, at which functional matter can exist. In particular, at this level biological individuality comes into existence. This situation can be expressed in absolute terms: This is not only the strongest material ever made, this is the strongest material it will ever be possible to make (D Ratner and M Ratner, Nanotechnology and Homeland Security). This is a very general statement. All aspects of matter are concerned here. Through the variation of the composition various forms of matter emerge with different items.Nanosystems are usually small, but they offer nevertheless the possibility to vary the structure of atomic (molecular) ensembles, creating a diversity of new material-specific properties. A large variety of experimental possibilities come into play and flexible theoretical tools are needed at the basic level. This is reflected in the different disciplines: In nanoscience and nanotechnology we have various directions: Materials science, functional nanomaterials, nanoparticles, food chemistry, medicine with brain research, quantum and molecular computing, bioinformatics, magnetic nanostructures, nano-optics, nano-electronics, etc.The properties of matter, which are involved within these nanodisciplines, are ultimate in character, i.e., their characteristic properties come into existence at this level. The book is organized in this respect.

This book highlights the fundamentals of ferrites and multiferroic materials with special attention to their structure, types, and properties. It presents a comprehensive survey about ferrite and multiferroic materials, in areas significant to research and development in academia as well as in industry. The book discusses various types of methods applied for their synthesis and characterizations. This book is concerned with the fascinating class of materials with the promise for wide-ranging applications, including electromagnets, magnetic fluid hyperthermia, antenna applications, memory devices, switching circuits, bio-medical applications, actuators, magnetic field sensors and water purification, etc.

This book focuses on the electrochemical and nanostructural properties of new photoanode/electrolyte combinations used in the development of novel surface-modified nanomaterials for environmental applications. As water treatment is rapidly becoming a global challenge due to the increasing complexity and number of the various pollutants present, the book explores fundamental issues relating to environmental applications of nanomaterials. It addresses relevant topics ranging from electrochemical synthesis and characterization, to applications of photoanodes in corrosion prevention and biosensors for wastewater treatment. Featuring up-to-date experimental results on nanomaterials for detection of pharmaceuticals and heavy metals in wastewater, this contributed volume is useful to electrochemical researchers, materials scientists, and chemical and civil engineers interested in advanced photoelectrochemical research for environmental applications.

This book presents selected papers from the International Conference on Advances in Materials Processing and Manufacturing Applications (iCADMA 2020), held on November 5–6, 2020, at Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur, India. iCADMA 2020 proceedings is divided into four topical tracks – Advanced Materials, Materials Manufacturing and Processing, Engineering Optimization and Sustainable Development, and Tribology for Industrial Application.

This book introduces recent progress in preparation and application of core-shell and yolk-shell structures for attractive design of catalyst materials. Core-shell nanostructures with active core particles covered directly with an inert shell can perform as highly active and selective catalysts with long lifetimes. Yolk-shell nanostructures consisting of catalytically active core particles encapsulated by hollow materials are an emerging class of nanomaterials. The enclosed void space is expected to be useful for encapsulation and compartmentation of guest molecules, and the outer shell acts as a physical barrier to protect the guest molecules from the surrounding environment. Furthermore, the tunability and functionality in the core and the shell regions can offer new catalytic properties, rendering them attractive platform materials for the design of heterogeneous catalysts. This book describes the recent development of such unique nanostructures to design effective catalysts which can lead to new chemical processes. It provides an excellent guide for design and application of core-shell and yolk-shell structured catalysts for a wide range of readers working on design of attractive catalysts, photocatalysts, and electrocatalysts for energy, environmental, and green chemical processes.

Dendrimers, hyperbranched macromolecules, emerged just few decades ago but show promising potential as drug delivery nanocarriers, theranostic agents and gene vectors; in the pharmaceutical research and innovation area as well as in other healthcare applications. Although tremendous advancements have been made in dendrimer chemistry and their applications since their emergence, the synthesis, development and design of pure and safe dendrimer-based products have been a major challenge in this area.This book, edited by well-known researchers in the area of nanomaterials and drug-based drug delivery applications, exhaustively covers the nanotechnological aspects, concepts, properties, characterisation, application, biofate and regulatory aspects of dendrimers. It includes sixteen vivid chapters by renowned formulators, researchers and academicians from all over the world, highlighting their specialised areas of interest in the fields of chemistry, biology, pharmacy and nanomedicine.Features:• Highlights dendrimers'advancements in nanomedicine in the development of safe healthcare and biotechnological products• Covers physicochemical aspects, biofate, drug delivery aspects and gene therapy using dendrimers• Covers biomedical application of dendrimers in the field of biological sciences• Gives examples of dendrimer–guest interaction chemistry Dendrimers in Nanomedicine: Concept, Theory and Regulatory Perspectives provides the comprehensive overview of the latest research efforts in designing, optimising, development and scale-up of dendrimer-mediated delivery systems. It analyses the key challenges of synthesis, design, molecular modelling, fundamental concepts, drug delivery aspects, analytical tools and biological fate as well as regulatory consideration to the practical use of dendrimer application.Dr. Neelesh Kumar Mehra Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutics in the Department of Pharmaceutics at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, India. He has authored more than sixty peer-reviewed publications in highly reputed international journals, as well as book chapters and contributions on two patents. Dr. Mehra has 11 years of rich research and teaching experience in the formulation and development of complex, innovative biopharmaceutical products including micro- and nanotechnologies for regulated markets.Dr. Keerti Jain Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutics in the Department of Pharmaceutics, NIPER, Raebareli, India. For more than 10 years, she has been actively engaged in formulation and development of nanomedicines. Dr. Jain has supervised masters and doctoral pharmaceutics students in their research works which have been published in high quality, good impact factor journals. She has also authored more than 60 international manuscripts in peer reviewed high impact journals. In 2019, she was awarded the prestigious ICMR-Amir Shakuntala Award.

This book features selected works presented in the 28th National Conference on Condensed Matter Physics, “Condensed Matter Days (CMDAYS) 2020”, which was held from December 11th to 13th December 2020. The conference brought together seasoned experts and upcoming researchers from all over India to share their research and ideas in the field of condensed matter physics. This book is a glimpse into the works and ideas that were discussed and presented at the conference. It includes works on diverse fields from nanomaterials to fuel cells, photocatalysis to ferromagnetism, application studies to fundamental studies.

For the past three decades, nanoscale science and engineering have provided many systems with unique and unprecedented properties, illustrating that these will definitely determine the trajectory of science and technology for years to come. This book is the first textbook to introduce nanoscale systems in a pedagogical, and not research, style. Through ample examples and problems, it emphasizes the difference between bulk and nanoscale systems from a thermodynamic viewpoint and illustrates the process when a bulk system enters the nanoscale domain. It also brings together results of state-of-the-art research and provides the reader with the scientific foundations of such results. It introduces the fundamental thermodynamic treatment of nanoscale systems as well as the structure, properties, and performance of the three different types of fullerenes, namely, spherical, cylindrical, and planar or graphene. In addition, it discusses 2-D materials systems based on such building blocks. Finally, it shows the thermodynamic criteria allowing nanoscale performance in physically huge systems.

This textbook describes the basic principles and mechanism of action of biosensor systems, and introduces readers to the various types of biosensors; from affinity biosensors to catalytic, optical and label-free biosensors, the most common systems are explained in detail. Dedicated advanced sections focus on biochips and genome sequencing methods as well as organs-on-a-chip. The textbook helps readers to understand the elementary components of biosensors, and to identify and illustrate each function in the biosensor information flow, from recognition to transduction and transmission. Furthermore, readers will receive guidance in critically analyzing published studies on biosensor research, helping them to develop appropriate concepts and independently propose their own solutions. The textbook is intended for master's students in bioengineering, biophysics, biotechnology and pharmacology that need a solid grasp of biosensor system technologies and applications,as well as students in related medical technological fields.

This book highlights the growing applications of THz technology and various modules used for their successful realization. The enormous advantages of THz devices like higher resolution, spatial directivity, high-speed communication, greater bandwidth, non-ionizing signal nature and compactness make them useful in various applications like communication, sensing, security, safety, spectroscopy, manufacturing, bio-medical, agriculture, imaging, etc. Since the THz radiation covers frequencies from 0.1THz to around 10THz and highly attenuated by atmospheric gases, they are used in short-distance applications only. The book focuses on recent advances and different research issues in terahertz technology and presents theoretical, methodological, well-established and validated empirical works dealing with the different topics.

This book highlights some of the latest advances in nanotechnology and nanomaterials from leading researchers in Ukraine, Europe and beyond. It features contributions presented at the 8th International Science and Practice Conference Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials (NANO2020), which was held on August 26–29, 2020 at Lviv Polytechnic National University, and was jointly organized by the Institute of Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, University of Tartu (Estonia), University of Turin (Italy), and Pierre and Marie Curie University (France). Internationally recognized experts from a wide range of universities and research institutions share their knowledge and key findings on material properties, behavior, and synthesis. This book's companion volume also addresses topics such as nano-optics, energy storage, and biomedical applications.

This book is the ultimate assembly of recent research activities on molecular architectonics and nanoarchitectonics by authors who are worldwide experts. The book proposes new ways of creating functional materials at the nano level using the concepts of molecular architectonics and nanoarchitectonics, which are expected to be the next-generation approaches beyond conventional nanotechnology. All the contents are categorized by types of materials, organic materials, biomaterials, and nanomaterials. For that reason, non-specialists including graduate and undergraduate students can start reading the book from any points they would like. Cutting-edge trends in nanotechnology and material sciences are easily visible in the contents of the book, which is highly useful for both students and experimental materials scientists.

This book highlights some of the latest advances in nanotechnology and nanomaterials from leading researchers in Ukraine, Europe and beyond. It features contributions presented at the 8th International Science and Practice Conference Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials (NANO2020), which was held on August 26–29, 2020 at Lviv Polytechnic National University, and was jointly organized by the Institute of Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, University of Tartu (Estonia), University of Turin (Italy), and Pierre and Marie Curie University (France). Internationally recognized experts from a wide range of universities and research institutions share their knowledge and key findings on material properties, behavior, and synthesis. This book's companion volume also addresses topics such as nano-optics, energy storage, and biomedical applications.

This book focuses on the photoelectric nanodevices based on carbon nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes, graphene and related heterojunctions. The synthesis of carbon nanostructures and device fabrication are simply given. The interface charge transfer and the performance enhancement in the photodetectors and solar cells are comprehensively introduced. Importantly, carbon allotropes behave as high-mobility conductors or bandgap-tunable semiconductors depending on the atomic arrangements, the direct motivation is to fabricate all-carbon nanodevices using these carbon nanomaterials as building blocks. The photoelectric nanodevices based on all-carbon nanostructures have increasingly attracted attention in the future.The book offers a valuable reference guide to carbon-based photoelectric devices for researchers and graduate school students in the field. It will also benefit all researchers who investigate photoelectric nanodevices and photoelectricconversion with relevant frontier theories and concepts.

This book describes crucial aspects related to the additive and subtractive manufacturing of different composites. The first half of this book mainly deals with the various types of composite fabrication methods along with the introduction, features and mechanisms and also the processing of composite materials via additive manufacturing route. Also, the thermal, mechanical, physical and chemical properties relevant to the processing of composite materials are included in the chapters. The second half of this book primarily demonstrates an extensive section on the different types of additive manufacturing processes like selective laser sintering, selective laser melting, stereolithography, fused deposition modeling and material jetting used to fabricate the metals and polymers. Also, the chapters address the complete description of fabrication processes for metal matrix composites and polymer matrix composites. Moreover, the different methods adoptedsuch as short peening, micro-machining, heat-treatment and solution treatment to improve the surface improvement are well discussed. This book gives many helps to researchers and students in the fields of the additive and subtractive manufacturing of different composites.

This book is based on the principles, limitations, challenges, improvements and applications of nanotechnology in medical science as described in the literature. It highlights various parameters affecting the synthesis of bio-nanomaterials and exclusive techniques utilized for characterizing the nanostructures for their potential use in biomedical and environmental applications. Moreover, biodegradable synthesis of nanomaterials is regarded as an important tool to reduce the destructive effects associated with the traditional methods of synthesis for nanostructures commonly utilized in laboratory and industry and as well as academic scale of innovative research foundation.

This textbook gradually introduces students to the statistical mechanical study of the different phases of matter and to the phase transitions between them. It uses simple yet fully detailed models of both hard and soft matter systems to demonstrate core concepts, developing the subject matter in a thorough and accessible pedagogical manner throughout. Starting from an introduction to basic thermodynamics and statistical physics, the book progresses from ideal, non-interacting systems to real systems exhibiting classical interactions and phase transitions. It concludes with a selection of more advanced topics, such as the renormalisation group approach to critical phenomena, the density functional theory of interfaces, and kinematic aspects of the phase transformation process.This updated second edition features a considerably expanded study of the topology of the phases, including applications to modern problems such as topological defects of nematic liquid crystals and the topological phase transition of a two-dimensional spin system. Along with a complete introductory overview of the theory of phase transitions, this textbook provides students with ample material for deeper study. References include suggestions for more detailed treatments and six appendices supply overviews of the mathematical tools employed in the text.

This book demonstrates the basic and fundamental aspects of nanotechnology and potential application as a photocatalysis in multiple application especially in environment and energy harvesting. This book also contains methods of preparation and characterization of unique nanostructured photocatalysts, and details about their catalytic action. The book consists of seven chapters, including the principles and fundamentals of heterogeneous photocatalysis; the mechanisms and dynamics of surface photocatalysis; research on pure and composites based materials with unique nanostructures; the latest developments and advances in exploiting photocatalyst alternatives to WO3; and photocatalytic materials for applications other than the traditional degradation of pollutants, such as carbon dioxide reduction, water oxidation, a complete spectrum of selective organic transformations and water splitting by photocatalytic reduction. This book will appeal to a wide readership of the academic and industrial researchers and it can also be used in the classroom for undergraduate and graduate students focusing on heterogeneous photocatalysis, sustainable chemistry, energy conversion and storage, nanotechnology, chemical engineering, environmental protection, optoelectronics, sensors, and surface and interface science.

Nanotechnology has been established in membrane technology for decades. In this book, comprehensive coverage is given to nanotechnology applications in synthetic membrane processes, which are used in different fields such as water treatment, separation of gases, the food industry, military use, drug delivery, air filtration, and green chemistry. Nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes, nanoparticles, and dendrimers are contributing to the development of more efficient and cost-effective water filtration processes. Gas separation and carbon capture can be significantly improved in flue gas applications. Nanoporous membrane systems engineered to mimic natural filtration systems are being actively developed for use in smart implantable drug delivery systems, bio artificial organs, and other novel nano-enabled medical devices. The microscopic structure of nanoporous ceramic membranes, mainly focusing on zeolite materials, as well as the energy-saving effect of membrane separation, contribute to various chemical synthesis processes. In the food industry, nanotechnology has the potential to create new tools for pathogen detection and packaging. For each application, nanotechnology is mostly used to make composite membranes, and the book provides a detailed look at the mechanisms by which the composite membrane works in each application area.

This book provides an overview of the design, synthesis, and characterization of different photoactive hybrid organic-inorganic materials, based on the combination of mainly organic molecules and inorganic nanostructures, tackling their uses in different scientific fields from photonics to biomedicine.There are many examples extensively describing how the confinement of organic compounds (i.e. chromophores, photochromic molecules or photoreactants), or other photoactive compounds (i.e.metal clusters) into several microporous systems can modulate the photophysical properties and photochemical reactions leading to interesting applications. Among (ordered)-hosts, different systems of diverse nature are widely used, such as the, the 1D- or 3D- channels of zeolitic frameworks, interlayer space of 2D-clays, the organic nanospace of curcubituril and cyclodextrins or the organo-inorganic porous crystalline MOFs systems. This volume highlights the advances of these photoactive materials and aims to be an inspiration for researchers working in materials science and photochemistry, including chemists, material engineers, physicists, biologists, and medical researchers.

The series Topics in Current Chemistry Collections presents critical reviews from the journal Topics in Current Chemistry organized in topical volumes. The scope of coverage is all areas of chemical science including the interfaces with related disciplines such as biology, medicine and materials science. The goal of each thematic volume is to give the non-specialist reader, whether in academia or industry, a comprehensive insight into an area where new research is emerging which is of interest to a larger scientific audience.Each review within the volume critically surveys one aspect of that topic and places it within the context of the volume as a whole. The most significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years are presented using selected examples to illustrate the principles discussed. The coverage is not intended to be an exhaustive summary of the field or include large quantities of data, but should rather be conceptual, concentrating on the methodological thinking that will allow the non-specialist reader to understand the information presented. Contributions also offer an outlook on potential future developments in the field.The chapter'DNA-Programmed Chemical Synthesis of Polymers and Inorganic Nanomaterials'is available open access under a CC BY 4.0 License via link.springer.com.

This book covers the performance aspects of nanocomposite supercapacitor materials based on transition metal oxides, activated carbon, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, graphene and conducting polymers. It compares the performance of simple electrode materials versus binary and ternary composites, while highlighting the advantages and challenges of different supercapacitor electrode materials.This book is part of the Handbook of Nanocomposite Supercapacitor Materials. Supercapacitors have emerged as promising devices for electrochemical energy storage, playing an important role in energy harvesting for meeting the current demands of increasing global energy consumption. The handbook covers the materials science and engineering of nanocomposite supercapacitors, ranging from their general characteristics and performance to materials selection, design and construction. Covering both fundamentals and recent developments, this handbook serves a readership encompassing students,professionals and researchers throughout academia and industry, particularly in the fields of materials chemistry, electrochemistry, and energy storage and conversion. It is ideal as a reference work and primary resource for any introductory senior-level undergraduate or beginning graduate course covering supercapacitors.