Laser-enabled measurements are valuable tools for the investigation of surfaces and interfaces or for the in situ investigation of interfacial processes including electrode processes. The understanding of the thermodynamics of solid/liquid surfaces is important for surface science and electrochemistry. In the first part of this book, the authors describe a range of techniques for investigating interfacial tension and surface stress, which is important for coatings, thin films, and fuel cells. The techniques covered comprise bending beam (bending plate, bending cantilever, wafer curvature) methods with different detection techniques. Special attention is given to methods using optical detection by laser beam deflection or interferometry. The second part is devoted to the techniques based on the detection of refractive index gradients in the solution. The refractive index changes could be related to concentration gradients (Probe Beam Deflection, PBD) or light-induced thermal gradients (Photothermal Deflection Spectroscopy, PDS). The application of the techniques to surface-confined and solution electrochemical systems is described. Subsequently, a comparison with others techniques able to monitor ion fluxes is performed.

This book covers new materials used as analytical devices for increasing the interactions between the development of new analytical devices and materials science. The authors describe how different types of materials such as polymers, self-assembled layers, phthalocyanines, and nanomaterials can further enhance sensitivity and promote selectivity between analytes for different applications. They explain how continuing research and discussion into materials science for chemical sensing is stimulating the search for different strategies and technologies that extract information for these chemical sensors in order to obtain a chemical fingerprint of samples.

The series Advances in Polymer Science presents critical reviews of the present and future trends in polymer and biopolymer science. It covers all areas of research in polymer and biopolymer science including chemistry, physical chemistry, physics, material science.The thematic volumes are addressed to scientists, whether at universities or in industry, who wish to keep abreast of the important advances in the covered topics.Advances in Polymer Science enjoys a longstanding tradition and good reputation in its community. Each volume is dedicated to a current topic, and each review critically surveys one aspect of that topic, to place it within the context of the volume. The volumes typically summarize the significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years and discuss them critically, presenting selected examples, explaining and illustrating the important principles, and bringing together many important references of primary literature. On that basis, future research directions in the area can be discussed. Advances in Polymer Science volumes thus are important references for every polymer scientist, as well as for other scientists interested in polymer science - as an introduction to a neighboring field, or as a compilation of detailed information for the specialist.Review articles for the individual volumes are invited by the volume editors. Single contributions can be specially commissioned.Readership: Polymer scientists, or scientists in related fields interested in polymer and biopolymer science, at universities or in industry, graduate students

This book introduces the concepts and methodologies related to the modelling of the complex phenomena occurring in materials processing. After a short reminder of conservation laws and constitutive relationships, the authors introduce the main numerical methods: finite differences, finite volumes and finite elements. These techniques are developed in three main chapters of the book that tackle more specific problems: phase transformation, solid mechanics and fluid flow. The two last chapters treat inverse methods to obtain the boundary conditions or the material properties and stochastic methods for microstructural simulation. This book is intended for undergraduate and graduate students in materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering and physics and for engineering professionals or researchers who want to get acquainted with numerical simulation to model and compute materials processing.

The future of manufacturing companies depends largely on their ability to adapt to swiftly changing global conditions. These are exemplified by international com- tition, rapidly growing intercommunication and the increased significance of en- ronmental issues [KLOC98a, ENGE02]. Precision machining with geometrically undefined cutting edges represents a key production engineering technology with high efficiency, security and machining quality. DIN norm 8589 subsumes within the group "machining with geometrically - defined cutting edges" the following material removal manufacturing processes: grinding, honing, lapping, free abrasive grinding and abrasive blast cutting. - chining is carried out in these production methods by means of more or less - regularly formed grains composed of hard substances brought into contact with the material. Of all methods understood as machining with geometrically undefined cutting edges, only grinding, honing and lapping can, strictly speaking, be considered p- cision machining. Free abrasive grinding and abrasive blast cutting, also treated in this book, represent a special group, as they generally cannot bring about geom- rical change in the material.

This thesis presents an experimental study of ordering phenomena in rare-earth nickelate-based heterostructures by means of inelastic Raman light scattering and elastic resonant x-ray scattering (RXS). Further, it demonstrates that the amplitude ratio of magnetic moments at neighboring nickel sites can be accurately determined by RXS in combination with a correlated double cluster model, and controlled experimentally through structural pinning of the oxygen positions in the crystal lattice. The two key outcomes of the thesis are: (a) demonstrating full control over the charge/bond and spin order parameters in specifically designed praseodymium nickelate heterostructures and observation of a novel spin density wave phase in absence of the charge/bond order parameter, which confirms theoretical predictions of a spin density wave phase driven by spatial confinement of the conduction electrons; and (b) assessing the thickness-induced crossover between collinear and non-collinear spin structures in neodymium nickelate slabs, which is correctly predicted by drawing on density functional theory.

This dictionary offers clear and reliable explanations of over 100 keywords covering the entire field of non-classical continuum mechanics and generalized mechanics, including the theory of elasticity, heat conduction, thermodynamic and electromagnetic continua, as well as applied mathematics. Every entry includes the historical background and the underlying theory, basic equations and typical applications. The reference list for each entry provides a link to the original articles and the most important in-depth theoretical works. Last but not least, ever y entry is followed by a cross-reference to other related subject entries in the dictionary.

This book is a compilation of selected papers from the 2014 New Trends in Fatigue and Fracture (NT2F14) Conference, which was held in Belgrade, Serbia. This prestigious conference brought together delegates from around the globe to discuss how to characterize, predict and analyze the fatigue and fracture of engineering materials, components, and structures using theoretical, experimental, numerical and practical approaches. It highlights some important new trends in fracture mechanics presented at the conference, such as: * two-parameter fracture mechanics, arising from the coupling of fracture toughness and stress constraints * high-performance steel for gas and oil transportation and production (pressure vessels and boilers) * safety and reliability of welded joints This book includes 12 contributions from well-known international scientists and a special tribute dedicated to the scientific contributions of Stojan Sedmark, who passed away in 2014.

This is the first book on lock-in thermography, an analytical method applied to the diagnosis of microelectronic devices. This useful introduction and guide reviews various experimental approaches to lock-in thermography, with special emphasis on the lock-in IR thermography developed by the authors themselves.

In two parts, the book focusses on materials science developments in the area of 1) Materials Data and Informatics: - Materials data quality and infrastructure - Materials databases - Materials data mining, image analysis, data driven materials discovery, data visualization. 2) Materials for Tomorrow's Energy Infrastructure: - Pipeline, transport and storage materials for future fuels: biofuels, hydrogen, natural gas, ethanol, etc. -Materials for renewable energy technologies This book presents selected contributions of exceptional young postdoctoral scientists to the 4th WMRIF Workshop for Young Scientists, hosted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, at the NIST site in Boulder, Colorado, USA, September 8 to September 10, 2014.

The 2003 International Conference "Hydrogen Materials Science and Chemistry of Carbon Nanomaterials" was held in September 2003. In the tradition of the earlier ICHMS conferences, this meeting served as an interdisciplinary forum for the presentation and discussion of the most recent research on transition to hydrogen-based energy systems, technologies for hydrogen production, storage, utilization, materials, energy and environmental problems. The aim of the volume is to provide an overview of the latest scientific results on research and development in the different topics cited above. The representatives from industry, public laboratories, universities and governmental agencies have presented the most recent advances in hydrogen concepts, processes and systems, to evaluate current progress in these areas of investigations and to identify promising research directions for the future.

Recent interest in nanotechnology is challenging the community to analyse, develop and design nanometer to micrometer-sized devices for applications in new generations of computer, electronics, photonics and drug delivery systems. To successfully design and fabricate novel nanomaterials and nanosystems, we must necessarily bridge the gap in our understanding of mechanical properties and processes at length scales ranging from 100 nanometers (where atomistic simulations are currently possible) to a micron (where continuum mechanics is experimentally validated). For this purpose the difficulties and complexity originate in the substantial differences in philosophy and viewpoints between conventional continuum mechanics and quantum theories. The challenge lies in how to establish the relationship between a continuum mechanical system and its atomistic counterpart in order to define continuum variables that are calculable within an atomic system.

This book provides a unique review of various aspects of metallic contamination in Si and Ge-based semiconductors. It discusses all of the important metals including their origin during crystal and/or device manufacturing, their fundamental properties, their characterization techniques and their impact on electrical devices' performance. Several control and possible gettering approaches are addressed. The book offers a valuable reference guide for all researchers and engineers studying advanced and state-of-the-art micro- and nano-electronic semiconductor devices and circuits. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, it combines perspectives from e.g. material science, defect engineering, device processing, defect and device characterization, and device physics and engineering.

This book focuses on structural characterisation techniques for porous materials. Covering a range of techniques, including gas sorption, mercury porosimetry, thermoporometry, NMR and imaging methods, this practical guide presents the basic theory behind each characterisation technique, and discusses the practicalities of the experimental and data analysis approaches needed for complex industrial samples. The book shows readers how to approach characterising a particular sort of material for the first time and then how to develop a strategy for more in-depth analysis. It also demonstrates how to determine the best techniques for solving particular problems, and describes methods of obtaining the required information, as well as the limitations of various methods. It particularly highlights a scientific approach involving parameter validation and simple acquisition. Featuring examples taken from case studies of real-world industrial materials, this book is intended for industrial practitioners and researchers. It provides a manual of potential techniques and answers questions concerning porous materials that arise in areas such as the catalyst industry, the oil and gas sector, batteries, fuel cells, tissue engineering scaffolds and drug delivery devices.

This volume collects the papers from the 2013 World Conference on Acoustic Emission in Shanghai. The latest research and applications of Acoustic Emission (AE) are explored, with particular emphasis on detecting and processing of AE signals, development of AE instrument and testing standards, AE of materials, engineering structures and systems, including the processing of collected data and analytical techniques as well as experimental case studies.

This book describes behavior of crystalline solids primarily via methods of modern continuum mechanics. Emphasis is given to geometrically nonlinear descriptions, i.e., finite deformations.Primary topics include anisotropic crystal elasticity, plasticity, and methods for representing effects of defects in the solid on the material's mechanical response. Defects include crystal dislocations, point defects, twins, voids or pores, and micro-cracks. Thermoelastic, dielectric, and piezoelectric behaviors are addressed. Traditional and higher-order gradient theories of mechanical behavior of crystalline solids are discussed. Differential-geometric representations of kinematics of finite deformations and lattice defect distributions are presented. Multi-scale modeling concepts are described in the context of elastic and plastic material behavior. Representative substances towards which modeling techniques may be applied are single- and poly- crystalline metals and alloys, ceramics, and minerals.This book is intended for use by scientists and engineers involved in advanced constitutive modeling of nonlinear mechanical behavior of solid crystalline materials. Knowledge of fundamentals of continuum mechanics and tensor calculus is a prerequisite for accessing much of the text. This book could be used as supplemental material for graduate courses on continuum mechanics, elasticity, plasticity, micromechanics, or dislocation mechanics, for students in various disciplines of engineering, materials science, applied mathematics, and condensed matter physics.

This book mainly focuses on the investigation of the electric-field control of magnetism and spin-dependent transportation based on a Co40Fe40B20(CoFeB)/Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)0.7Ti0.3O3(PMN-PT) multiferroic heterostructure. Methods of characterization and analysis of the multiferroic properties with in situ electric fields are induced to detect the direct magnetoelectric (ME) coupling. A switchable and non-volatile electric field control of magnetization in CoFeB/PMN-PT(001) structures is observed at room temperature, and the mechanism of direct coupling between the ferroelectric domain and ferromagnetic film due to the combined action of 109 Degrees ferroelastic domain switching in PMN-PT and the absence of magnetocrystalline anisotropy in CoFeB is demonstrated. Moreover, the electric-field control of giant magnetoresistance is achieved in a CoFeB-based spin valve deposited on top of (011) oriented PMN-PT, which offers an avenue for implementing electric-writing and magnetic-reading random access memory at room temperature. Readers will learn the basic properties of multiferroic materials, many useful techniques related to characterizing multiferroics and the interesting ME effect in CoFeB/PMN-PT structures, which is significant for applications.

This book is a continuous learning tool for experienced technical staff facing laser vibrometry technology for the first time. The book covers both theoretical aspects and practical applications of laser Doppler vibrometry, and is accompanied by a multimedia presentation that allows the audience to browse the content and come as close as possible to performing real experiments. After a brief introduction, Chapter 2 presents supporting theory, providing general information on light sources, light scattering and interference for a better understanding of the rest of the book. Chapter 3 examines the theory of laser vibrometers, explaining interferometers from an optical perspective and in terms of the related electronics. It also addresses options like tracking filters and different signal demodulation strategies, since these have a significant impact on the practical use of vibrometers. Chapter 4 explores the configurations that are encountered in today's instrumentation, with a focus on providing practical suggestions on the use of laser vibrometers. Lastly, Chapter 5 investigates metrology for vibration and shock measurements using laser interferometry, and analyses the uncertainty of laser vibrometers in depth.

Nanoscale structures and materials have been explored in many biological applications because of their novel and impressive physical and chemical properties. Such properties allow remarkable opportunities to study and interact with complex biological processes. This book analyses the state of the art of piezoelectric nanomaterials and introduces their applications in the biomedical field. Despite their impressive potentials, piezoelectric materials have not yet received significant attention for bio-applications. This book shows that the exploitation of piezoelectric nanoparticles in nanomedicine is possible and realistic, and their impressive physical properties can be useful for several applications, ranging from sensors and transducers for the detection of biomolecules to sensible substrates for tissue engineering or cell stimulation. The book also focuses on the preparation, characterization and bio-applications of piezoelectric nanoparticles.

This volume covers various aspects of cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE). The contents include manufacture, morphology, structure, properties, applications, early stage development, cross-linking techniques, recycling process, physical and chemical properties as well as the scope and future aspects of XLPE. It focuses on the life cycle analysis of XLPE and their industrial applications and commercial importance. This book will be of use to academic and industry researchers, as well as graduate students working in the fields of polymer science and engineering, materials science, and chemical engineering.

This book provides comprehensive coverage of all aspects of physical testing of elastomers (rubbers and thermoplastic elastomers) including mechanical, electrical, thermal and all aspects of durability. Elastomers are an important class of materials used in such products as tyres, seals and hose which have markedly different properties to other materials. The importance of testing of elastomers means that a comprehensive text on the subject is essential. The advantage over general materials testing books is being more specific while the advantage over general rubber technology books is that testing is dealt with in depth.

Integrating both theoretical and applied aspects of electrochemistry, this acclaimed monograph series presents a review of the latest advances in the field. The current volume includes chapters on the mechanism of nerve excitation from an electrochemical standpoint, the electronic factor in the kinetics of charge-transfer reaction, and five other subjects.

This book discusses the latest developments in narrow fabrics from research institutions, machinery building companies and producers of such products, presented during the International Week of Narrow Fabrics in March 2016 in Moenchengladbach, Germany. It also demonstrates different applications of braided and woven fabrics. Braided and woven narrow products are produced using completely different techniques, but have a lot of similarities in their applications - they are used as belts, ropes and tubes in areas ranging from medical textiles, cables, technical and home applications to large-scale transport belts and long tubes for transporting oil from the bottom of the ocean.

In five chapters, this volume presents recent developments in fatigue assessment. In the first chapter, a generalized Neuber concept of fictitious notch rounding is presented where the microstructural support factors depend on the notch opening angle besides the loading mode. The second chapter specifies the notch stress factor including the strain energy density and J-integral concept while the SED approach is applied to common fillet welded joints and to thin-sheet lap welded joints in the third chapter. The forth chapter analyses elastic-plastic deformations in the near crack tip zone and discusses driving force parameters. The last chapter discusses thermomechanical fatigue, stress, and strain ranges.

This book is a collection of experimental studies demonstrating structure-function relationships in various biological systems having particular surface specialization to increase/decrease friction and adhesion. Studies on snake skin, adhesive pads, wing-interlocking devices and sticky mouthparts of insects as well as anti-adhesive and adhesive surfaces of plants are included in the volume containing four main subsections: (1) adhesion, (2) friction, (3) attachment-devices, (4) attachment-related behavior. Numerous experimental methods for characterizing tribological properties of biological surfaces at macro-, micro-, and nanoscale levels are demonstrated. This book is an excellent collection of publications on biotribology for both engineers and physicists working with biological systems as well as for biologists studying friction and adhesion. Inspirations from biology reported here may be also potentially interesting for biomimetics.