Multifunctional Polymeric Nanocomposites Based on Cellulosic Reinforcements introduces the innovative applications of polymeric materials based on nanocellulose, and covers extraction methods, functionalization approaches, and assembly methods to enable these applications. The book presents the state-of-the-art of this novel nano-filler and how it enables new applications in many different sectors, beyond existing products. With a focus on application of nano-cellulose based polymers with multifunctional activity, the book explains the methodology of nano-cellulose extraction and production and shows the potential performance benefits of these particular nanostructured polymers, for applications across different sectors, including food active packaging, energy-photovoltaics, biomedical, and filtration. The book describes how the different methodologies, functionalization, and organization at the nano-scale level could contribute to the design of required properties at macro level. The book studies the interactions between the main nano-filler with other active systems and how this interaction enables multi-functionality in the produced materials. The book is an indispensable resource for the growing number of scientists and engineers interested in the preparation and novel applications of nano-cellulose, and for industrial scientists active in formulation and fabrication of polymer products based on renewable resources.

This book includes advanced materials and nanocomposites based on silica and layered silicates obtained from resources in China. Using nanotechnology, these inorganic materials can be filled, in-situ polymerised and combined with polymers with nanoscale dispersions. In this book, many practical examples are presented to show how to prepare the nanocomposites.
Several kinds of polymer (PET, PBT, PE, PP, etc.)-layered silicate and silica nanocomposites are prepared and investigated based on our research works, inventions and applications. They are prepared and modified aiming at their applications to such fields as, functional films, barrier materials, coatings, and engineering plastics. Their structure-property relationship, especially the nano effects from them are investigated under different techniques to show how the critical load of the inorganic phase has the effect on the final properties of the nanocomposite materials.
Obviously, this new generation of materials has revolutionary effects on the traditional materials or industry as petroleum. Some of the prospects of them are thus included.
Focus on the inorganic phase, which is of wide practical and industrial significance
Dealing with many first report of the nanoeffect, nanostructure and its functional properties
Especially, it covers the particle assembly and self-assemble by interaction with polymer matrix.

The papers in this collection cover a diverse range of topics on the topic of fatigue of materials. The editors have grouped the papers into five sections. Sections 1 and 2 contain papers that (i) review the current state of knowledge both related and relevant to the subject of fatigue behavior of materials, and (ii) present new, innovative, and emerging techniques for experimental evaluation of the fatigue behavior. Sections 3 and 4 focus on advanced materials that are used in performance-critical applications in the aerospace and automotive industries, such as the alloys of titanium, nickel, aluminum, and magnesium. Section 5 presents papers relating to other materials of engineering interest, such as iron and steel, polymer, rubber, and composites.

This book highlights the processing, characterization and applications of various green composites. Composites are known for their unique properties, which are derived by combining two or more components. This yields properties such as greater strength and rigidity than that of the individual components, as well as reduced weight. To help achieve such outcomes, the book discusses the potential applications of hybrid bio-composites and sisal-fiber-reinforced epoxidized non-edible oil-based epoxy green composites.

This book presents selected papers from the international conference on advanced manufacturing and materials sciences (ICAMMS 2018). The papers reflet recent advances in manufacturing sector focusing on process optimization and give emphasis to testing and evaluation of new materials with potential use in industrial applications.

This volume shines a new light on short fibre reinfoced cementitious composites and particle reinforced ceramics. It offers insight from various disciplines like civil engineering, material sciences and micro-mechanics, and collects 9 experimental, numerical and theoretical studies written by top researchers in composite concrete science. The book presents the outcome of the EUROMECH 582 colloquium "Short Fibre Reinfoced Cementitious Composites and Ceramics" held 20 - 22 March 2017, Tallinn, Estonia.

This work sheds new light on fundamental aspects of phase separation in polymer-blend thin films. A key feature underlying the theoretical models is the unification of one-dimensional thermodynamic phase equilibria with film evolution phenomena in two- and three dimensions. Initially, an established 'phase portrait' method, useful for visualising and calculating phase equilibria of polymer-blend films, is generalised to systems without convenient simplifying symmetries. Thermodynamic equilibria alone are then used to explain a film roughening mechanism in which laterally coexisting phases can have different depths in order to minimise free energy. The phase portraits are then utilised to demonstrate that simulations of lateral phase separation via a transient wetting layer, which conform very well with experiments, can be satisfactorily explained by 1D phase equilibria and a 'surface bifurcation' mechanism. Lastly, a novel 3D model of coupled phase separation and dewetting is developed, which demonstrates that surface roughening shadows phase separation in thin films.

This book introduces readers to fundamental information on phosphor and quantum dots. It comprehensively reviews the latest research advances in and applications of fluoride phosphors, oxide phosphors, nitridosilicate phosphors and various quantum dot materials. Phosphors and phosphor-based quantum dot materials have recently gained considerable scientific interest due to their wide range of applications in lighting, displays, medical and telecommunication technologies. This work will be of great interest to researchers and graduate students in materials sciences and chemistry who wish to learn more about the principles, synthesis and analysis of phosphors and quantum dot materials.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the main nuclear characterization techniques used to study hydrogen absorption and desorption in materials. The various techniques (neutron scattering, nuclear magnetic resonance, ion-beams, positron annihilation spectroscopy) are explained in detail, and a variety of examples of recent research projects are given to show the unique advantage of these techniques to study hydrogen in materials. Most of these nuclear techniques require very specialized instrumentation, and there are only a handful of these instruments available worldwide. Therefore, the aim of this book is to reach out to a readership with a very diverse background in the physical sciences and engineering and a broad range of hydrogen-related research interests. The same technique can be used by researchers interested in the improvement of the performance of hydrogen storage materials and by those focused on hydrogen ingress causing embrittlement of metals. The emphasis of this book is to provide tutorial material on how to use nuclear characterization techniques for the investigation of hydrogen in materials - information that cannot readily be found in conference and regular research papers. Provides a comprehensive overview of nuclear techniques used for hydrogen-related research Explains all nuclear techniques in detail for the non-expert Covers the whole range of hydrogen-related research Features chapters written by world-renowned experts in nuclear technique and hydrogen-related research

Asphalt is a complex but popular civil engineering material. Design engineers must understand these complexities in order to optimize its use. Whether or not it is used to pave a busy highway, waterproof a rooftop or smooth out an airport runway, Asphalt Materials Science and Technology acquaints engineers with the issues and technologies surrounding the proper selection and uses of asphalts. With this book in hand, researchers and engineering will find a valuable guide to the production, use and environmental aspect of asphalt.

Composite materials are a major growth area within advanced materials and the range of applications for such products continues to grow and increase in diversity with every new development. Composite products are highly in demand and reached sales of $21.2 billion globally in 2014. The top three market segments in 2014 were transportation, construction, pipes, and tanks. Other segments include energy, automotive, and aerospace. This state-of-the-art book has been written by high-profile authors who have extensive experience and knowledge in the field of composite materials. The chapters in this collection would be useful for a wide range of audience: undergraduate and post-graduate students students, industrial professionals, materials scientists and researchers, and composite manufacturers. This book provides the reader with a wide range of information in the interdisciplinary subject area of composite materials. The book consists of thirteen chapters. It deals with two types of nanocomposites: graphene and carbon nanotube reinforced nanocomposites, their manufacturing, properties and applications. It also presents fibre reinforced composites and a comprehensive review of bio-composites. Furthurmore, it has a focus on thermal, mechanical and electrical properties of advanced composite materials.

Part of a series of data-rich handbooks within the Plastics Design Library, Fatigue and Tribological Properties of Plastics and Elastomers provides a comprehensive collection of graphical multipoint data and tabular data covering the fatigue and tribological performance of plastics. The handbook is structured by grouping together plastics of similar polymer types into ten chapters. Each of these chapters is split into two sections: Fatigue Properties and Tribological Properties, and together they provide a compendium of several hundred graphs and charts, supplying the core data needed by engineers and scientists on a day-to-day basis. The data for this third edition has been updated to cover upwards of five years since the previous edition was published, and also includes an entirely new chapter covering sustainable and biodegradable polymers. The book also includes an extensive introductory section covering fatigue, what it is and how it is measured; the fundamentals of tribology; polymer chemistry and plastics composition. These chapters also provide readers with a full understanding of the data section, and how to put it to use as a hard-working information tool.

This book provides an outline of theoretical concepts and their experimental verification in studies of self-organization phenomena in chemical systems, as they emerged in the mid-20th century and have evolved since. Presenting essays on selected topics, it was prepared by authors who have made profound contributions to the field. Traditionally, physical chemistry has been concerned with interactions between atoms and molecules that produce a variety of equilibrium structures - or the 'dead' order - in a stationary state. But biological cells exhibit a different 'living' kind of order, prompting E. Schroedinger to pose his famous question "What is life?" in 1943. Through an unprecedented theoretical and experimental development, it was later revealed that biological self-organization phenomena are in complete agreement with the laws of physics, once they are applied to a special class of thermodynamically open systems and non-equilibrium states. This knowledge has in turn led to the design and synthesis of simple inorganic systems capable of self-organization effects. These artificial 'living organisms' are able to operate on macroscopic to microscopic scales, even down to single-molecule machines. In the future, such research could provide a basis for a technological breakthrough, comparable in its impact with the invention of lasers and semiconductors. Its results can be used to control natural chemical processes, and to design artificial complex chemical processes with various functionalities. The book offers an extensive discussion of the history of research on complex chemical systems and its future prospects.

The ancient Greeks believed that all matter was composed of four elements: earth, water, air, and fire. By a remarkable coincidence (or perhaps not), today we know that there are four states of matter: solids (e.g. earth), liquids (e.g. water), gasses (e.g. air) and plasma (e.g. ionized gas produced by fire). The plasma state is beyond the scope of this book and we will only look at the first three states. Although on the microscopic level all matter is made from atoms or molecules, everyday experience tells us that the three states have very different properties. The aim of this book is to examine some of these properties and the underlying physics.

Providing a comprehensive overview of hot stamping (also known as 'press hardening'), this book examines all essential aspects of this innovative metal forming method, and explores its various uses. It investigates hot stamping from both technological and business perspectives, and outlines potential future developments. Individual chapters explore topics such as the history of hot stamping, the state of the art, materials and processes employed, and how hot stamping is currently being used in the automotive industry to create ultra-high-strength steel components. Drawing on experience and expertise gathered from academia and industry worldwide, the book offers an accessible resource for a broad readership including students, researchers, vehicle manufacturers and metal forming companies.

The book introduces fundamentals of 3D printing with light, photoinitiating system for 3D printing as well as resins. Plenty of applications, trends and prospects are also discussed, which make the book an essential reference for both scientists and industrial engineers in the research fields of photochemistry, polymer chemistry, rapid prototyping and photopolymerization.

This book describes the design, fabrication and evaluation of a polymer-based neural interface for a cochlear electrode array, reviewed in terms of fabrication process, functionality, and reliability. Polymer-based devices have attracted attention in the neural prosthetic field due to their flexibility and compatibility with micro-fabrication process. A liquid crystal polymer (LCP) is an inert, highly water-resistant polymer suitable for the encapsulation of electronic components and as a substrate material for fabricating neural interfaces. The author has designed, fabricated, and evaluated an LCP-based cochlear electrode array for an improved polymer-based cochlear implant. The thesis deals with 3 key topics: atraumatic deep insertion, tripolar stimulation, and long-term reliability. Atraumatic insertion of the intracochlear electrode and resulting preservation of residual hearing have become essential in state-of-the-art cochlear implantation. A novel tapered design of an LCP-based cochlear electrode array is presented to meet such goals. For high-density and pitch-recognizable cochlear implant, channel interaction should be avoided. Local tripolar stimulation using multi-layered electrode sites are shown to achieve highly focused electrical stimulation. This thesis addresses another vital issue in the polymer-based neural implants: the long-term reliability issue. After suggesting a new method of forming mechanical interlocking to improve polymer-metal adhesion, the author performs accelerating aging tests to verify the method's efficacy. The aforementioned three topics have been thoroughly examined through various in vitro and in vivo studies. Verification foresees the development of LCP-based cochlear electrode array for an atraumatic deep insertion, advanced stimulation, and long-term clinical implant.

For courses in architecture and civil engineering. Reinforced Concrete: Mechanics and Design uses the theory of reinforced concrete design to teach students the basic scientific and artistic principles of civil engineering. The text takes a topic often introduced at the advanced level and makes it accessible to all audiences by building a foundation with core engineering concepts. The 7th Edition is up-to-date with the latest Building Code for Structural Concrete, giving students access to accurate information that can be applied outside of the classroom. Students are able to apply complicated engineering concepts to real world scenarios with in-text examples and practice problems in each chapter. With explanatory features throughout, the 7th Edition makes the reinforced concrete design a theory all engineers can learn from.