Alkali-activated materials, including geopolymers, are being studied at an increasing pace for various high-value applications. The main drivers for this emerging interest include the low-energy, low-cost, and readily up-scalable manufacturing process; the possibility to utilize industrial wastes and by-products as raw materials; and beneficial material properties comparable to conventional materials. It has already been verified that alkali-activated materials are very versatile in environmental technology applications for pollution control. The current research in the field focuses on advanced manufacturing methods, material properties, and applications, for example, additive manufacturing, modification of surface chemistry, CO2 capture, and green catalysis. Alkali-Activated Materials in Environmental Technology Applications discusses what novel possibilities alkali-activated materials provide in comparison to conventional materials (such as high-temperature ceramics, synthetic zeolites, or organic polymers). The specific environmental applications that are covered include water and wastewater treatment, air pollution control, stabilization/solidification of hazardous wastes, and catalysts in chemical processes. In addition, preparation methods, material properties, and the chemistry of alkali-activated materials are revisited from the viewpoint of environmental technology applications. This book also discusses how well alkali-activated materials fit under the concepts of green chemistry and circular economy and how the life cycle analysis of these materials compares to conventional materials.

The climate change crisis presents a multi-dimensional challenge to the development of the built environment. With finite global resources and increasingly unpredictable climate patterns, the need to improve our understanding of sustainable practices and materials for construction has never been more pressing. The Handbook of Research on Corrosion Sciences and Engineering aims to shed light on the recent developments in the usage of sustainable materials to protect metallic materials against corrosion and provides emerging research exploring the theoretical and practical aspects of corrosion engineering science and technology. Covering key topics such as machine learning, smart coating, sustainability, and artificial intelligence, this major reference work is ideal for construction workers, industry professionals, researchers, academicians, scholars, practitioners, instructors, and students.

Polymeric materials offer a high level of versatility due to the range of applications possible within the biomedical and clinical fields - including wound closure - particularly in comparison to metals or ceramics. These specialised materials also allow for a diverse array of therapeutic effects. Although there have been advances in improving polymeric materials for surgical sutures, there is little information available regarding improving the therapeutic value of sutures, and advanced technologies used to implement this improvement. Advanced Technologies and Polymer Materials for Surgical Sutures provides thorough coverage on suture materials with improved mechanical and therapeutic properties that can improve quality of life; chapter topics include drug-releasing kinetics of sutures, shape memory polymer sutures and future trends. This book is a useful resource for academics and researchers in the materials science and biomedical engineering fields, as well as professionals in biomaterials and biotextiles development and clinicians looking to learn more about suture material properties and suture/body interactions.

Natural fiber composites have experienced a renaissance over the last two decades as a response to societal demands for developing eco-friendly, biodegradable and recyclable materials. They are now being extensively used in everyday products as well as in automotive, packaging, sports and the construction industries. These fibers require surface treatments in order to improve their properties and interfacial bonding with polymer matrices, and to reduce their hydrophilic character. These methods can be grouped into three major categories: chemical, physical and biological. Chemical methods use chemical reagents to reduce fibers' hydrophilic tendency and thus improve compatibility with the matrix. They also expose more reactive groups on the fibre surface to facilitate efficient coupling with the matrix. Physical methods change structural and surface properties of the fiber and thereby influence the interfacial bonding with matrices, without extensively changing the chemical composition of the fibers. They are cleaner and simpler than the chemical methods. Biological methods use biological agents like fungi, enzymes and bacteria to modify the fiber surface properties. These methods are not toxic like chemical methods and are not energy-intensive like physical methods. Surface Treatment Methods of Natural Fibers and their Effects on Biocomposites presents an overview and recent developments of these methods. All the major methods are reviewed, explaining the science and methodology behind each method. The effects of these methods on various properties of fibers and the biocomposites made from these fibers are analyzed in detail. The book will be an essential reference for academic researchers, materials scientists and engineers, postgraduate students and industrial researchers and development scientists and engineers working on natural fibers and biocomposites.

Fundamentals of Sensor Technology: Principles and Novel Designs presents an important reference on the materials, platforms, characterization and fabrication methods used in the development of chemical sensor technologies. Sections provide the historical context of sensor technology development, review principles for the design of sensing devices and circuits, delve into the most common chemical and biological sensor types, cover unique properties and performance requirements, discuss fabrication techniques, including defining critical parameters, modeling and simulation strategies, and present important materials categories used in sensing applications, such as nanomaterials, quantum dots, magnetic materials, and more. This book is appropriate for the interdisciplinary community of researchers and practitioners interested in the development of sensor technologies, including materials scientists and engineers, analytical chemists and other related disciplines.

Biodegradable and Biocompatible Polymer Nanocomposites: Processing, Characterization, and Applications brings together the latest research, highlighting cutting-edge applications in this exciting field. Sections introduce biodegradable and biocompatible polymers and the fundamentals regarding synthesis, structure, properties, biocompatibility and biodegradability, provide in-depth coverage of methods and techniques for processing, spectroscopic and microscopic analysis, dielectric, thermal, and electrical conductivity, and incorporation of functionalized nanoparticles, and green synthesized nanoparticles. The second part of the book guides the reader through the properties and preparation of biodegradable and biocompatible polymer nanocomposites for a range of specific, targeted, state-of-the-art applications across biomedicine, electronic, energy storage, environment and packaging. Finally, sustainability assessment, environmental impact, and recycling strategies are discussed in detail.

Natural Materials-based Green Composites 1: Plant Fibers explores several important plant fiber-based materials such as wood fibers, vegetable fibers, jute fibers, stalk fibers and hemp fibers. The book provides introductory information and various innovative applications of most important plant fiber-based materials such as wood fibers, vegetable fibers, jute fibers, stalk fibers, and hemp fibers.It investigates their structure and provides various innovative applications and discusses the microstructure of wood and mechanical properties of green wood-based composites (GWC), eco-friendly applications of green composites as building materials, and applications in wastewater treatment. The book also discusses seaweed and cotton fibers for their applications as adhesive and in reinforcement.The book is complemented by Natural Materials-based Green Composites 2: Biomass that deals with a broad range of material types, including natural fiber reinforced polymer composites, particulate composites, fiberboard, wood fiber composites, and plywood composite that utilize natural, renewable, and biodegradable agricultural biomass.

Functionalized Nanofibers: Synthesis and Industrial Applications presents the latest advances in the fabrication, design, processing, and properties of functionalized nanofibers for a range of advanced applications. Sections introduce fabrication, mechanisms, and design of functionalized nanofibers, explaining electrospinning and non-electrospinning techniques, optimization of structural designs, surface functionalization techniques, and characterization methods. Subsequent sections focus on specific application areas, highlighting preparation methods and applications of functionalized nanofibers across biomedicine, surfaces and coatings, food, environment, energy, electronics, and textiles. Finally, environmental impact and safety and legal aspects related to the utilization of functionalized nanofibers are considered. This is a valuable resource for researchers and advanced students with an interest in nanomaterials and nanotechnology, and across other disciplines such as polymer science, chemistry, chemical engineering, and materials science and engineering.

Advances in Smart Nanomaterials and their Applications brings together the latest advances and novel methods in the preparation of smart nanomaterials for cutting-edge applications. The book covers fundamental concepts of nanomaterials, including fabrication methods, processing, application areas, specific applications of smart nanomaterials across a range of areas, such as agriculture and forestry, food science and packaging, biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, energy, wastewater and environment, sensing, and textiles. In each case, possible challenges, recent trends, and potential future developments are addressed in detail. The final chapter of the book discusses various considerations for the utilization of smart nanomaterials, including environmental safety and legal requirements.

Integrated Silicon-Metal Systems at the Nanoscale: Applications in Photonics, Quantum Computing, Networking, and Internet is a comprehensive guide to the interaction, materials, and functional integration at the nanoscale, of the silicon-metal binary system and a variety of emerging and next-generation advanced device applications, from energy and electronics, to sensing, to quantum computing and quantum internet networks. The book guides the readers through advanced techniques and etching processes, combining underlying principles, materials science, design, and operation of metal-Si nanodevices. Each chapter focuses on a specific use of integrated metal-silicon nanostructures, including storage and resistive next-generation nano memory and transistors, photo and molecular sensing, harvest and storage device electrodes, phosphor light converters, and hydrogen fuel cells, as well as future application areas, such as spin transistors, quantum computing, hybrid quantum devices, and quantum engineering, networking, and internet. This is a valuable resource for researchers and advanced students in nanomaterials and nanotechnology, electronics engineering, quantum computing, physics, and materials engineering, as well as for materials engineers, industrial scientists, and R&D professionals with an interest in silicon-metal nanodevices for state-of-the-art applications.

Applications of Nanostructured Ferrites provides an overview of materials design and characterization of ferrite nanomaterials for a diverse array of applications. In particular, the book investigates the large-scale use of ferrite materials, an important category of magnetic materials for environmental remediation such as waste water treatment. In addition, it considers ferrites to enable new technologies in energy, sensing, flexible and conductive electronics, and MEMs applications. This book is suitable for researchers and practitioners in the disciplines of materials science, engineering, chemistry and physics.

Nanotechnology in the Automotive Industry explores how nanotechnology and nanomaterials are used to enhance the performance of materials and devices for automotive application by fabricating nano-alloys, nanocomposites, nano coatings, nanodevices, nanocatalysts and nanosensors. Consisting of 36 chapters in 6 parts, this new volume in the Micro and Nano Technologies series is for materials scientists, nanotechnologists and automotive engineers working with nanotechnology and nanomaterials for automotive applications. Nanotechnology is seen as one of the core technologies for the future automotive industry to sustain competitiveness. The benefits that nanotechnology brings to the automotive sector include stronger and lighter materials for increased safety and reduced fuel consumption, improved engine performance and fuel consumption for gasoline powered vehicles due to nanocatalysts, fuel additives and lubricants, and more.

Sustainability and Health in Intelligent Buildings presents a comprehensive roadmap for designing and constructing high-performance clean energy-efficient buildings, including intelligence capabilities underpinned by smart power, 5G and Internet-of-Things technologies, environmental sensors, intelligent control strategies and cyber-physical security. This book includes a special emphasis on health pandemic resiliency that discusses strong engineering control strategies to respond and recover from infectious diseases like COVID-19. Sections cover the foundational aspects of healthy buildings, with a special emphasis on assessing indoor environmental qualities. In addition, it introduces the necessary principles that assist engineers and researchers in understanding and designing buildings that meet health and sustainability goals.

Bamboo Fibres: Processing, Properties, and Applications brings together best practices from key stages of bamboo production and application, allowing readers to find new solutions for bamboo fibers. Chapters on bamboo fiber characterization and properties show the full range of functional uses of the material. When used as a replacement for petrochemical-based synthetic fibers, this abundant and cheap material/textile can significantly reduce the environmental impact of textile products. This book is an invaluable resource for fiber chemists, material scientists, fabric technologists, manufacturers, and researchers interested in sustainable textiles. Bamboo fiber is a cellulosic fibre regenerated from the bamboo plant. It is highly sustainable being fully biodegradable and has strength comparable to conventional glass fibers. It has many other valuable characteristics, being bacteriostatic, antifungal, antibacterial, hypoallergenic, hydroscopic, a natural deodorizer, and resistant to ultraviolet light. Furthermore, it is highly durable, stable and tough and has substantial tensile strength. Due to its versatile properties, bamboo fibers are already used in the textile industry to make garments, in biomedical applications due to its antibacterial qualities, and many other areas.

Engineered Nanostructures for Therapeutics and Biomedical Applications offers a single reference for a diverse biomedical readership to learn about the application of nanotechnology in biomedicine and biomedical engineering, from past developments to current research and future prospects. This book sets out a broad selection of biomedical and therapeutic applications for nanostructures, including bioimaging, nanorobotics, orthopedics, and tissue engineering, offering a useful, multidisciplinary approach. Each chapter discusses challenges faced in each discipline, including limiting factors, biocompatibility, and toxicity, thus enabling the reader to make informed decisions in their research. This book is a comprehensive, broad overview of the role and significance of nanomaterials and their composites that also includes discussions of key aspects in the field of biomedicine. It will be of significant interest to academics and researchers in materials science and engineering, biomedicine and biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, pharmaceutics, bioimaging, and nanorobotics.

Energy Landscapes of Nanoscale Systems provides a snapshot of the state-of-the-art in energy landscapes theory and applications. The book's chapters reflect diversity and knowledge transfer that is a key strength of the energy landscape approach. To reflect the breadth of this field, contributions include applications for clusters, biomolecules, crystal structure prediction and glassy materials. Chapters highlighting new methodologies, especially enhanced sampling techniques are included. In particular, the development and application of global optimization for structure prediction, methods for treating broken ergodicity on multifunnel landscapes, and treatment of rare event dynamics that reflect the state-of-the-art are featured. This book is an important reference source for materials scientists and energy engineers who want to understand more about how nanotechnology applies to the energy landscape approach. This volume is dedicated to Prof. Roy L. Johnston, who was formerly Co-Editor of the Frontiers of Nanoscience series, and who passed away in 2019.

Xenes: 2D Synthetic Materials Beyond Graphene includes all the relevant information about Xenes thus far reported, focusing on emerging materials and new trends. The book's primary goal is to include full descriptions of each Xene type by leading experts in the area. Each chapter will provide key principles, theories, methods, experiments and potential applications. The book also reviews the key challenges for synthetic 2D materials such as characterization, modeling, synthesis, and integration strategies. This comprehensive book is suitable for materials scientists and engineers, physicists and chemists working in academia and R&D in industry. The discovery of silicene dates back to 2012. Since then, other Xenes were subsequently created with synthetic methods. The portfolio of Xenes includes different chemical elements of the periodic table and hence the related honeycomb-like lattices show a wealth of electronic and optical properties that can be successfully exploited for applications.

60 Years of the Loeb-Sourirajan Membrane: Principles, New Materials, Modelling, Characterization and Applications bring forth theoretical advances, novel characterization techniques, materials development, advanced treatment processes, and emerging applications of membrane-based technologies. The trigger for writing this book is the 2020, 60th anniversary of the first asymmetric polymeric membrane invented by Dr. Sidney Loeb and Dr. Srinivasa Sourirajan (University of California, Los Angeles, USA) on the breakthrough discovery of the semipermeable membrane for seawater desalination. The book places emphasis on the advances of organic and inorganic membranes in different fields, covering not only the primary application of membranes for water and wastewater treatment but also other applications dealing with energy conversion and storage, organic solvent purification, gas separation, and biomedical processes.

Coir Fiber and its Composites: Processing, Properties and Applications presents unified knowledge on eco-friendly coir fiber composites, covering their characterization, design, manufacture and applications. The properties of coir fiber and its extraction and processing are explored in-depth, thus helping researchers, scientists and those working in various industries understand the need of coir fiber composites in the development of green, biodegradable and sustainable components that have potential in real-world applications. The book elaborates on the basic characterization of coir fibers and its composite properties such, including its physical, mechanical, morphological, thermal, structural and chemical properties. Users will find sound knowledge on coir fiber and its composites, including modern design and manufacture engineering with numerous example illustrations, methods and results that will be valuable for graduate students, researchers and industrialists working in the development of plant-based composite materials.

Fretting Wear and Fretting Fatigue: Fundamental Principles and Applications takes a combined mechanics and materials approach, providing readers with a fundamental understanding of fretting phenomena, related modeling and experimentation techniques, methods for mitigation, and robust examples of practical applications across an array of engineering disciplines. Sections cover the underpinning theories of fretting wear and fretting fatigue, delve into experimentation and modeling methods, and cover a broad array of applications of fretting fatigue and fretting wear, looking at its impacts in medical implants, suspension ropes, bearings, heating exchangers, electrical connectors, and more.

Nanocellulose is a versatile material that has received much attention from scientists working in a broad range of application fields, such as automotive, composites, adsorbents, paints, coatings, medical implants, electronics, cosmetics, pulp and paper, tissue engineering, medical, packaging, and aerogels. Industrial Applications of Nanocellulose and Its Nanocomposites provides an extensive, up-to-date review of this fast-moving research field. The chapters cover a wide range of aspects, including synthesis, surface modification, and improvement of properties toward target applications. The main objectives of the book are to reflect on recent advancements in the design and fabrication of advanced nanocellulose and discuss important requirements for each application, as well as the challenges that might be faced. The book also includes an overview of the current economic perspectives and safety issues, as well as future directions for nanocellulose-based materials. It will serve as a valuable reference resource for academic and industrial researchers, environmental chemists, nanotechnologists, chemical engineers, polymer chemists, materials scientists, and all those working in the manufacturing industries.

Machinery and Energy Systems for the Hydrogen Economy covers all major machinery and heat engine types, designs and requirements for the hydrogen economy, from production through storage, distribution and consumption. Topics such as hydrogen in pipeline transport, for energy storage, and as a power plant fuel are covered in detail. Hydrogen machinery applications, their selection criteria, economics, safety aspects and operational limitations in different sectors of the hydrogen economy are also discussed. Although the book covers the hydrogen economy as a whole, its primary focus is on machinery and heat engine design and implementation within various production, transport, storage and usage applications. An invaluable resource for industry, academia and government, this book provides engineers, scientists and technical leaders with the knowledge they need to design and build the infrastructure of a hydrogen economy.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries provide an alternative to lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries and are showing promise for providing much higher energy densities. Systems utilizing Li-S batteries are presently under development and early stages of commercialization. This technology is being developed in order to provide higher, safer levels of energy at significantly lower costs. Lithium-Sulfur Batteries: Advances in High-Energy Density Batteries addresses various aspects of the current research in the field of sulfur cathodes and lithium metal anode including abundance, system voltage, and capacity. In addition, it provides insights into the basic challenges faced by the system. The book includes novel strategies to prevent polysulfide dissolution in sulfur-based systems while also exploring new materials systems as anodes preventing dendrite formation in Li metal anodes.

Databook of Polymer Processing Additives provides key information on the properties of polymer processing additives, covering their general information, physical properties, health and safety considerations, ecological properties, and use and performance details. Acid scavengers, air release, anticaking, antigassing, anti-gelling, anti-settling, hydrolysis stabilizers, moisture scavengers, and more are all covered, providing readers with key data aiding in the proper selection of these additives. The book is an excellent companion to the Handbook of Polymer Processing Additives.

Handbook of Polymer Processing Additives provides insights on the selection of additives, their performance mechanisms, essential application properties, and a complete analysis of related literature and patents. Acid scavengers, air release, anticaking, antigassing, anti-gelling, anti-settling, hydrolysis stabilizers, and moisture scavengers are each covered. Information on the use of additives in various products is divided into sections on types, concentrations, usage, advantages and disadvantages, effects on product properties, and examples of formulation. Processing methods are similarly divided into sections on types and concentrations, effects on the process, effect on product properties, advantages and disadvantages, and examples of formulation. All essential aspects of chemistry, physical properties, influence on properties of final products, formulations, methods of incorporation, analysis and effects on health and environment are considered. The book is an excellent companion to the Databook of Polymer Processing Additives.