After an introductory chapter, the processing, microstructure, and properties of various ceramic materials, reinforcements, and their composites are described. A separate chapter is devoted to processing of ceramic reinforcements, with a special emphasis on fibers. Processing of ceramic matrix composites is the next chapter, which includes novel techniques such as sol-gel processing and ceramics from polymeric precursors. The next four chapters cover the subjects of interface region in ceramic composites, mechanical and physical properties, and the role of thermal stresses and the important subject of toughness enhancement. Laminated composites made of ceramics are described in a separate chapter. Finally, a chapter is devoted to various applications of ceramic matrix composites. Throughout the text, the underlying relationships between the components of the triad: processing, microstructure, and properties are brought out. An exhaustive list of references and suggested reading is provided.

Recently a new sphere in materials science* has formed which subject is structure and properties of electret materials used in engineering, medicine, biotechnology and other branches. It is characterized by specific methods of experimental investigations based on recording charge transfer, polarization and depolarization of dielectrics and involves original techniques and physico-mathematical aids where notions that exist at the interface of several natural and technical sciences are concentrated. It embraces a vast area of applications mainly in engineering, instrument making, electronics, medical technique, biotechnology, and etc., has a specialized technological base for electric polarization of dielectrics composed of uncommon technological methods, equipment and instrumentation. Apparently, future fundamental investigations in the domain of electret materials science are to be developed at the interface of computer of dielectrics. Elaboration of a simulation, physics and physical chemistry model for electric polarization of solid media with uneven charge density distribution, complicated by surface phenomena, outer electromagnetic, heat, chemical and other effects, presents a grave methodological problem. The simulation of structures in which polarization follows diffusion mechanism of chemically active molecules or their fragments, and the development of calculation methods for polarized charge relaxation and regularities of dielectric nonlinear properties, are the most urgent objectives of current research. Success in bioelectret effect studies is anticipated to result in profound widening of natural science knowledge.

3 In 1992 the annual world production of plastics reached 102 x 1()6m at a value of 3 over US$300 billion, while that of steel was 50 x1()6m ata value ofUS$l25 billion (Table 1. 1). Furthermore, from 1980 to 1990, plastics production increased by 62%, while thatofsteeldecreasedby 21%. Considering theunevenpolymerconsumption around theworld,polymerproductionwillhave toincreasebya factor often before currently recorded levels ofplastics sales in developed countries willbe universally reached. Polymers are the fastest growing structural materials. In addition, the polymer blend segment of the plastics industry increases at a rate about three times higher than thewhole. The aim of thisbook is to trace the historicalevolution of the polymer blends industry. Table 1. 1 World production of steel and plastics for 1992 Production Steel Plastics 410 102* Production volume (Mt/year) 3 Production volume (M(m )/year) 51 102 Production value (billion US$/year) 125 310 Growth from 1980to 1990 (%) -21 -1;62 ,. 121 Mt/year in 1996 A polymer (from the Greek poly = manyand meros = units) is a substancecomposed ofmacromoleculesbuiltby covalentlyjoiningatleast50 molecular segments, called mel'S. The word polymer was introduced in 1832 by Jons Jacob Berzelius for sub- stances thatmayhaveidenticalchemicalcompositionbutdifferinmolecularweight (e. g. , acetylene, benzene and styrene, having the formula CnH with n == 2,6and 8, n respectively). During the years 1859-1863, Louren~o reported that condensation of ethylene glycol with ethylene dibromide resulted in a mixture of ethers, whose members, separated by distillation, were identified as HD-(C2l4D-)n-H with n == 2 to 6 (Stahl, 1981).

The origin ofthe International Acoustical Imaging Symposium series can be traced to 1967, when a meeting on acoustical holography was held in C alifornia. In those days, acoustical holography was at the leading edge of research but, as the importance of this subject waned, so the title of the series was changed from Acoustical Holography to Acoustical Imaging in 1978. The early Symposia were held at various venues in the United States. In 1980. the series became international, with the Symposium that year taking place in Cannes in France. The pattern now is to try to met alternately in the USA and in another part of the world so that active researchers everywhere can conveniently attend at a reasonably high frequency. It was a great privilege for us in Bristol in the United Kingdom to be chosen to host the 25th Symposium, which convened on 19 March 2000 and spread over four days. We were blessed not only by good weather, but also by the attendance ofnearly 100 pa rticipants who came from 17 c ountries. A large number of papers were accepted for presentation, either orally or as posters. Whether an oral presentation or a poster, all were considered to have equal merit, and no distinction is made between them in the published proceedings. There were no parallel sessions, so every participant could attend every presentation. The re sultant disciplinary cross fertilisation maintained the t radition of past Symposia.

The papers in this volume were presented at the Second International Conference on Unconventional Photoactive Solids held at the R&D Center of BP America September 9-12, 1985. It was part of an on-going series of conferences with the main aim of stressing the Interrelationship of solid state physics and solid state chemistry. The choice of topics covered a broad range of light-Induced solid state phenomena with particular emphasis on novel materials and/or novel phenomena. Organic solids, in particular, were emphasized as they are a natural meeting point of solid state physics and chemistry. A general trend In solid state physics Is to more complex materials (e.g. nonequilibrium glassy films, complicated unit cells, extended molecular building blocks, etc.). This trend necessitates the closer interaction between physicists and chemists. This conference reflects this trend quite dramatically. It is a new grouping together of a mix of materials, people and experimental approaches. A typical new theme pulling together this new mix can be seen in Part I. Fractals in Disordered Media. A variety of disordered media give rise to unusual temporal patterns of diffusion and reactions. The more familiar spatial patterns of self-similarity are discussed in the first article by M.F. Barnsley. Another topic pulling together a diverse group of scientists is covered in Part II. Spectral Hole-Burning. A number of leaders in this field are represented In these three papers.

This book contains papers presented at the International Conference on Organic Superconductivity which was held May 20-24, 1990, at the Stanford Sierra Conference Center, South Lake Tahoe, California. In the twenty years since the First Conference on Organic Superconductivity was held (Hawaii, 1969), there has been remarkable progress in the field. At present, development is accelerating with contributions from many groups in many countries worldwide. The discovery of high Tc superconductivity by G. Bednorz and K. Muller in 1986 and subsequent developments in the ceramic superconductors have had an enormous impact on the field of superconductivity as a whole. This discovery occurred in an area entirely different from that of conventional superconduc tivity, underscoring the importance of the search for and study of novel materials of all kinds. We believe that the organics, with their wide range of structural, chemical, and physical properties, belong in this category of novel materials. This book reflects the efforts of researchers from various disciplines: physicists, chemists, and materials scientists. It addresses the normal and superconducting properties of organic materials, as well as the search for new compounds and new syntheses. We are pleased to note that one of these papers reports on the discovery of a new organic superconductor with a record high Tc in this class. One chapter is devoted to a comparison of organic superconductors and the cuprates, another, to the prospects of discovering other novel conducting or superconducting compounds."

Mechanical alloying (or mechanical milling) was invented in the 1970's as a method to develop dispersion-strengthened high temperature alloys with unique properties. With the discovery of formation of amorphous alloys using this technique, it has received new research interest in developing different material systems. Potential applications of this technique have been demonstrated in different areas of materials research. This book is intended as an introduction to mechanical alloying technique used in difference areas. This book contains basic information on the preparation of materials using the mechanical alloying technique. It is useful not only to undergraduate and post-graduate students, but also to scientists and engineers who wish to gain some understanding on the basic process and mechanisms of the process. The book begins with a brief introduction to provide a historical background understanding to the development of the mechanical alloying process. The experimental set-up in the alloying process is important. Currently there are different types of ball mills available. Some of them are specially designed for mechanical alloying process. Since the resultant materials are milling intensity and milling temperature dependent, ball mills should be carefully selected in order to obtain the desired materials and structures. This is discussed in chapter 2. The actual mechanical alloying process is being considered in Chapter 3. As it is essential to understand the use of processing control agents, the physical properties of some commonly used processing control agents are listed.

This is a book about mathematical modelling. It focuses on the modelling of the preparation of materials. Materials are important, of course, in an economic sense: the "goods" of goods-and-services are made of materials. This provides a strong incentive to produce good materials and to improve existing materials. Mathematical modelling can help in this regard. Without a doubt, modelling a materials processing operation is not strictly necessary. Materials synthesis and fabrication processes certainly existed before the invention of mathematics and computers, and well before the combined use of mathematics and computers. Modelling can, however, be of assistance--if done properly--and if used properly. The mathematical modelling described in this book is, at its root, a rather formal, structured way of thinking about materials synthesis and fabrication processes. It requires looking at a process as a whole. It requires considering everything that is or might be important. It requires translating the details of a given physical process into one or more mathematical equations. It requires knowing how to simplify the equations without over-simplifying them.

An up-to-date view of the various detector/emitter materials systems currently in use or being actively researched. The book is aimed at newcomers and those already working in the IR industry. It provides both an introductory text and a valuable overview of the entire field.

The fluorine atom, by virtue of its electronegativity, size, and bond strength with carbon, can be used to create compounds with remarkable properties. Small molecules containing fluorine have many positive impacts on everyday life of which blood substitutes, pharmaceuticals, and surface modifiers are only a few examples. Fluoropolymers, too, while traditionally associated with extreme high performance applications have found their way into our homes, our clothing, and even our language. A recent American president was often likened to the tribology of PTFE. Since the serendipitous discovery of Teflon at the DuPont Jackson Laboratory in 1938, fluoropolymers have grown steadily in technological and marketplace importance. New synthetic fluorine chemistry, new processes, and new apprecia tion of the mechanisms by which fluorine imparts exceptional properties all contribute to accelerating growth in fluoropolymers. There are many stories of harrowing close calls in the fluorine chemistry lab, especially from the early years, and synthetic challenges at times remain daunting. But, fortunately, modem techniques and facilities have enabled significant strides toward taming both the hazards and synthetic uncertainties, In contrast to past environmental problems associated with fluorocarbon refrigerants, the exceptional properties of fluorine in polymers have great environmental value. Some fluoropolymers are enabling green technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells for automobiles and oxygen selective membranes for cleaner diesel combustion.

In the search for new functional materials, a clear understanding about the relationship between the physical properties and the atomic-scale structure of materials is needed. Here, the authors provide graduate students and scientists with an in-depth account of the evolutionary behavior of oxide functional materials within specific structural systems, discussing the intrinsic connections among these different structural systems. Over 300 illustrations and key appendices support the text.

During the past fifteen years commercial interest in compounds containing carbon fluorine bonds has burgeoned beyond all expectations, mainly owing to business opportunities arising from work on biologically active fluoroorganics-particularly agrochemicals, the relentless search for new markets for fluoropolymers and fluoro carbon fluids, developments in the field of medical diagnostics, and the drive to find replacements for ozone-depleting CFCs and Halon fire-extinguishing agents. Judging the situation to warrant the publication of a comprehensive collection of up-to-date reviews dealing with commercial organofluorine compounds within a single volume of manageable size (and hence reasonable cost), we were delighted to be invited by Plenum Publishing Corporation to produce a suitable book. In order to provide an authentic and wide-ranging account of current commercial applications of fluoroorganic materials, it clearly was necessary to assemble a sizeable team of knowledgeable contributing authors selected almost entirely from industry. Through their efforts we have been able to produce an almost complete coverage of the modem organofluorochemicals business in a manner designed to attract a reader ship ranging from experts in the field, through chemists and technologists currently unaware of the extent of industrial involvement with fluoroorganics, to students of applied chemistry. Promised chapters dedicated to perfluoroolefin oxides and 18F labeling of radiopharmaceuticals failed to materialize. This is somewhat unfortunate in view of our aim to achieve comprehensive coverage of the subject.

This monograph presents recent research findings on fracture properties and behavior of the composites, and their damage and cracking process under both quasi-static and impact loading conditions. Theoretical treatment, experimental investigation and numerical simulation aspects of the mechanics of composites, including sandwich structures are included.

Knowledge of the refractive indices and absorption coefficients of semiconductors is especially import in the design and analysis of optical and optoelectronic devices. The determination of the optical constants of semiconductors at energies beyond the fundamental absorption edge is also known to be a powerful way of studying the electronic energy-band structures of the semiconductors. The purpose of this book is to give tabulated values and graphical information on the optical constants of the most popular semiconductors over the entire spectral range. This book presents data on the optical constants of crystalline and amorphous semiconductors. A complete set of the optical constants are presented in this book. They are: the complex dielectric constant (E=e.+ieJ, complex refractive index (n*=n+ik), absorption coefficient (a.), and normal-incidence reflectivity (R). The semiconductor materials considered in this book are the group-IV elemental and binary, llI-V, IT-VI, IV-VI binary semiconductors, and their alloys. The reader will fmd the companion book "Optical Properties of Crystalline and Amorphous Semiconductors: Materials and Fundamental Principles" useful since it emphasizes the basic material properties and fundamental prinCiples.

The use of diamond for electronic applications is not a new idea. As early as the 1920's diamonds were considered for their use as photoconductive detectors. However limitations in size and control of properties naturally limited the use of diamond to a few specialty applications. With the development of diamond synthesis from the vapor phase has come a more serious interest in developing diamond-based electronic devices. A unique combination of extreme properties makes diamond partiCularly well suited for high speed, high power, and high temperature applications. Vapor phase deposition of diamond allows large area films to be deposited, whose properties can potentially be controlled. Since the process of diamond synthesis was first realized, great progress have been made in understanding the issues important for growing diamond and fabricating electronic devices. The quality of both intrinsic and doped diamond has improved greatly to the point that viable applications are being developed. Our understanding of the properties and limitations has also improved greatly. While a number of excellent references review the general properties of diamond, this volume summarizes the great deal of literature related only to electronic properties and applications of diamond. We concentrate only on diamond; related materials such as diamond-like carbon (DLC) and other wide bandgap semiconductors are not treated here. In the first chapter Profs. C. Y. Fong and B. M. Klein discuss the band structure of single-crystal diamond and its relation to electronic properties.

Fractals have changed the way we understand and study nature. This change has been brought about mainly by the work of B. B. Mandelbrot and his book The Fractal Geometry of Nature. Now here is a book that collects articles treating fractals in the earth sciences. The themes chosen span, as is appropriate for a discourse on fractals, many orders of magnitude; including earthquakes, ocean floor topography, fractures, faults, mineral crystallinity, gold and silver deposition. There are also chapters on dynamical processes that are fractal, such as rivers, earthquakes, and a paper on self-organized criticality. Many of the chapters discuss how to estimate fractal dimensions, Hurst exponents, and other scaling exponents. This book, in a way, represents a snapshot of a field in which fractals has brought inspiration and a fresh look at familiar subjects. New ideas and attempts to quantify the world we see around us are found throughout. Many of these ideas will grow and inspire further work, others will be superseded by new observations and insights, most probably with future contributions by the authors of these chapters.

The Army Materials and Mechanics Research Center in coop eration with the Materials Science Group of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science of Syracuse University has been conducting the Annual Sagamore Army Materials Research Conference since 1954. The specific purpose of these conferences has been to bring together scientists and engineers from academic institutions, industry and government who are uniquely qualified to explore in depth a subject of importance to the Department of Defense, the Army and the scientific community. These proceedings entitled, FATIGUE - ENVIRONMENT AND TEMPER ATURE EFFECT, address the overview of temperature and environmental effects of fatigue, room temperature environmental effects, high temperature and environmental effect - mechanisms, high tempera ture and environmental effect - mechanisms, materials and design-engineering applications. We wish to acknowledge the assistance of Messrs. Joseph Bernier and Dan McNaught of the Army Materials and Mechanics Research Center and Helen Brown DeMascio of Syracuse University throughout the stages of the conference planning and finally the publication of the book. The continued active interest and support of these conferences by Dr. E. Wright, Director of the Army Materials and Mechanics Research Center, is appreciated."

Nanostructures refer to materials that have relevant dimensions on the nanometer length scales and reside in the mesoscopic regime between isolated atoms and molecules in bulk matter. These materials have unique physical properties that are distinctly different from bulk materials. Self-Assembled Nanostructures provides systematic coverage of basic nanomaterials science including materials assembly and synthesis, characterization, and application. Suitable for both beginners and experts, it balances the chemistry aspects of nanomaterials with physical principles. It also highlights nanomaterial-based architectures including assembled or self-assembled systems. Filled with in-depth discussion of important applications of nano-architectures as well as potential applications ranging from physical to chemical and biological systems, Self-Assembled Nanostructures is the essential reference or text for scientists involved with nanostructures.

In this reference, the author thoroughly reviews the current state of condensed phosphate chemistry. A unique feature of this volume is an examination of the recent developments in X-ray structural techniques, reporting on fundamental results obtained through their use. Enhanced by comprehensive tables reporting crystal data, chapters identify and characterize more than 2,000 compounds. Additional features include a concise survey of the historical development of condensed phosphate chemistry; the presently accepted classification system; a review of each family of condensed phosphates and much more.

Cryocoolers 10 is the premier archival publication of the latest advances and performance of small cryogenic refrigerators designed to provide localized cooling for military, space, semi-conductor, medical, computing, and high-temperature superconductor cryogenic applications in the 2-200 K temperature range. Composed of papers written by leading engineers and scientists in the field, Cryocoolers 10 reports the most recent advances in cryocooler development, contains extensive performance test results and comparisons, and relates the latest experience in integrating cryocoolers into advanced applications.

This book is a collection of papers in the field of stripes and high Tc superconductivity. The most relevant theoretical and experimental contributions from experts in the field of stripes, presented at the Second International Conference on Stripes and High Tc Superconductivity, are selected for publication. The book includes contributions on other stripe phases observed in manganites, nikelates, spin ladders, and heterostructures. Since a large stream of research in a growing community is converging towards the stripe scenario, this book serves as an important reference in the field of striped phases and high Tc superconductivity. The problem of high Tc superconductors has been a central issue in solid-state physics since 1987. After the discovery of high Tc superconductivity (HTSC) in doped perovskites, it was realized that HTSC appears in an unknown complex electronic phase of condensed matter. In the early years, all theories of HTSC were focused on the physics of a homogeneous 2D metal with large electron-electron correlations or on a 2D polaron gas.Only after 1990 a novel paradigm started to emerge in which this 2D metallic phase is described as an inhomogeneous metal. This was the outcome of several experimental evidences of phase separation at low doping. Following the discovery by the Rome Group in 1992 that 'the changes move freely mainly in one direction like the water running in the grooves in corrugated iron foil', a new scenario for understanding superconductivity in high Tc superconductors was opened. Since the charges move like rivers, the physics of these materials shifts towards the physics of novel mesoscopic heterostructures and complex electronic solids. Therefore, understanding the striped phases in the perovskites not only provides an opportunity to understand the anomalous metallic state of cuprate superconductors, but also suggests a way to design new materials of technological importance. The stripes are begetting a field of general scientific interest.

This volume contains the papers presented at the International Workshop on the Cur rent Problems in Condensed Matter: Theory and Experiment, held at Cocoyoc, More los, Mexico, during January 5-9, 1997. The participants had come from Argentina, Austria, Chile, England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Switzerland, and the USA. The presentations at the Workshop provided state-of-art reviews of many of the most important problems, currently under study, in condensed matter. Equally important to all the participants in the workshop was the fact that we had come to honor a friend, Karl Heinz Bennemann, on his sixty-fifth birthday. This Festschrift is just a small measure of recognition of the intellectualleadership of Professor Bennemann in the field and equally important, as a sincere tribute to his qualities as an exceptional friend, college and mentor. Those who have had the privilege to work closely with Karl have been deeply touched by Karl's inquisitive scientific mind as well as by bis kindness and generosity."

For several years, I have been responsible for organizing and teaching in the fall a short course on "Fundamentals of Adhesion: Theory, Practice, and Applications" at the State University of New York at New Paltz. Every spring I would try to assemble the most pertinent subjects and line up several capable lecturers for the course. However, there has always been one thing missing-an authoritative book that covers most aspects of adhesion and adhesive bonding. Such a book would be used by the participants as a main reference throughout the course and kept as a sourcebook after the course had been completed. On the other hand, this book could not be one of those "All you want to know about" volumes, simply because adhesion is an interdisciplinary and ever-growing field. For the same reason, it would be very difficult for a single individual, especially me, to undertake the task of writing such a book. Thus, I relied on the principle that one leaves the truly monumental jobs to experts, and I finally succeeded in asking several leading scientists in the field of adhesion to write separate chapters for this collection. Some chapters emphasize theoretical concepts and others experimental techniques. In the humble beginning, we planned to include only twelve chapters. However, we soon realized that such a plan would leave too much ground uncovered, and we resolved to increase the coverage. After the book had evolved into thirty chapters, we started to feel that perhaps our mission had been accomplished.

The Sagamore Army Materials Research Conferences have been held in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains of New York State since 1954. Organized and conducted by the Army Materials and Mechanics Research Center (Watertown, Massachusetts) in cooperation with Syracuse University, the Conferences have focused on key issues in Materials Science and Engineering that impact directly on current or future Army problem areas. A select group of speakers and attendees are assembled from academia, industry, and other parts of the Department of Defense and Government to provide an optimum forum for a full dialogue on the selected topic. This book is a collection of the full manuscripts of the formal presentations given at the Conference. The emergence and use of nontraditional materials and the excessive failures and reject rates of high technology, materials intensive engineering systems necessitates a new approach to quality control. Thus, the theme of this year's Thirty-First Conference, "Materials Characterization for Systems Performance and Reliability," was selected to focus on the need and mechanisms to transition from defect interrogation of materials after production to utilization of materials characterization during manufacturing. The guidance and help of the steering committee and the dedicated and conscientious efforts of Ms. Karen Ka100stian, Con ference Coordinator, and Mr. William K. Wilson, and Ms. Mary Ann Holmquist are gratefully acknowledged. The continued active interest and support of Dr. Edward S. Wright, Director, AMMRC; Dr. Robert W. Lewis, Associate Director, AMMRC; and COL L. C. Ross, Commander/ Deputy Director, AMMRC; are greatly appreciated."

In this text, Shigeji Fujita and Salvador Godoy guide first and second-year graduate students through the essential aspects of superconductivity. The authors open with five preparatory chapters thoroughly reviewing a number of advanced physical concepts-such as free-electron model of a metal, theory of lattice vibrations, and Bloch electrons. The remaining chapters deal with the theory of superconductivity-describing the basic properties of type I, type II compound, and high-Tc superconductors as well as treating quasi-particles using Heisenberg's equation of motion. The book includes step-by-step derivations of mathematical formulas, sample problems, and illustrations.