Smart Materials-Based Actuators at the Micro/Nano-Scale: Characterization, Control, and Applications gives a state of the art of emerging techniques to the characterization and control of actuators based on smart materials working at the micro/nano scale. The book aims to characterize some commonly used structures based on piezoelectric and electroactive polymeric actuators and also focuses on various and emerging techniques employed to control them. This book also includes two of the most emerging topics and applications: nanorobotics and cells micro/nano-manipulation.

Composite materials are formed when the combination of separate materials acquire new properties distinct from its components. They have a range of applications in fields such as mechanical and electrical engineering, food science and biomedicine and represent a fast-growing area of research. Composite Materials: Applications in Engineering, Biomedicine and Food Science provides an overview of current technologies and applications related to composite materials in these fields. Organized by discipline, the text encompasses a wide variety of composite materials, including polymer, ceramic, biomaterial, hydroxyapatite, nanofiber and green composites. Early chapters detail the enhanced mechanical, magnetic, dielectric properties of electrical and thermal conductive composite materials, which are essential in daily science. Subsequent chapters focus on filler or reinforcement materials, including carbon materials, hybrid materials and nanomaterials. Particular emphasis is placed on nanocomposite materials, as these have increasingly diverse field applications. Various manufacturing methods, such as the synthesis method and top-down/bottom-up manufacturing, are also discussed. Coverage of the recent progress, challenges and opportunities surrounding composite materials make this text a one-stop reference for engineers, scientists and researchers working in this exciting field.

This book summarizes the state of the art in the theoretical modeling of inorganic nanostructures. Extending the first edition, published in 2015, it presents applications to new nanostructured materials and theoretical explanations of recently discovered optical and thermodynamic properties of known nanomaterials. It discusses the developments in theoretical modeling of nanostructures, describing fundamental approaches such as symmetry analysis and applied calculation methods. The book also examines the theoretical aspects of many thermodynamic and the optical properties of nanostructures. The new edition includes additional descriptions of the theoretical modeling of nanostructures in novel materials such as the V2O5 binary oxide, ZnS, CdS, MoSSe and SnS2.

The enzymology of milk and other products is of enormous significance for the production and quality of almost every dairy product. Milk itself is a complex biological fluid that contains a wide range of enzymes with diverse activities, some of which have identifiable functions while others are present as an accidental consequence of the mechanism of milk secretion. Over time milk enzymology has become an incredibly essential component of milk and other dairy product production, and with advancing technology and processing techniques, its importance is at its peak. Dairy Enzymology presents an expansive overview of the enzymology of milk and other dairy products, focusing on the use of indigenous and endogenous enzymes in milk and exogenous enzymes in cheese processing. A full section is dedicated to the enzymology of bovine milk, focusing on the main families of indigenous enzymes as well as their potential significance in the mammary gland plus the technological significance for the properties of dairy products. Implications for the manufacture and ripening of cheese plus the use of enzymes such as alkaline phosphatase for measuring heat treatment in milk are explored in full, and the role of milk protease plasmin and other indigenous enzymes in the age-gelation is focused on. Further sections focus on enzymes found in raw milk and enzymes deliberately added for manufacture or modification of properties and the manufacture of food ingredients from dairy-derived ingredients. The key bacterial families are discussed in depth as well as their known contributions to the quality of dairy products. With its comprehensive scope and fully up-to-date coverage of dairy product enzymology, this text is a singular source for researchers looking to understand this essential dairy processing aspect.

This book covers novel and innovative technologies used in development, modeling, chemical/physical investigation and biomedical (in-vitro and in-vivo) trials of nanomaterials and nanocomposites. Novel methods for nanoparticle development and manufacturing are presented, as well as their safety and promising applications. In addition, the book highlights new frontiers in the use of metal / metal oxide nanoparticles, hierarchical nanostructures and organic coatings as sensors for detecting gases, inorganic and organic materials, including biosensors for bacteria and cancers. Organic nanoparticle composites for medical applications (tissue engineering, tissue replacement, regeneration, etc.), including hydroxyapatite NPs, are also covered, together with related in-vitro and preclinical investigations. In closing, the book shares recent findings on orthopedic and dental implant coatings using nanoparticles, their biological efficacy and safety.

This book presents both established and emerging technologies which show the immense possibilities of using non-traditional fillers and stiffening agents in the plastics industry. After an introduction to basic polymer chemistry, a range of non-petroleum-based fillers and stiffening agents for polymer products are identified and their optimal applications given.

This book provides a significant overview of carbon-related membranes. It will cover the development of carbon related membranes and membrane modules from its onset to the latest research on carbon mixed matrix membranes. After reviewing progress in the field, the authors indicate future research directions and prospective development. The authors also attempt to provide a guideline for the readers who would like to establish their own laboratories for carbon membrane research. For this purpose, detailed information on preparation, characterization and testing of various types of carbon membrane is provided. Design and construction of carbon membrane modules are also described in detail.

The book focuses on the development of high performance, high efficiency electroactive polymers (EAPs), and electromechanically active polymers by controlling molecular chemical structure and morphology for all applications. This book is ideal for academicians and researchers in polymer and materials science.

Most bioactive compounds have antioxidant activity, particularly tocochromanols, phenolics (flavonoids and phenolic acids), methylxantines and capsaicinoids. Some of these compounds have also other properties important for human health. For example, vitamin E protects against oxidative stress, but it is also known for its "non-antioxidant" functions, including cell signalling and antiproliferation. Selenium compounds and indoleamins are the components of the antioxidant enzymes. Selenium makes vitamin E acquisition easier and controls its physiological functions. In taking part in enzymatic reactions and protecting the cell against free radicals, selenium shows immunomodulative, antiphlogistic, and antiviral activity. Capsaicinoids possess not only antioxidant, but also antibacterial, analgesic, weight-reducing and thermoregulation properties. Studies have also demonstrated their gastroprotective and anticancer properties. Analytical Methods in the Determination of Bioactive Compounds and Elements in Food explores both the influence of particular compounds on human health and the methods used for their determination. Chapters describe various aspects of food and plant analysis, including chromatographic and non-chromatographic approaches as well as hyphenated techniques. Readers of this book will gain a comprehensive understanding of the important groups of bioactive compounds relevant to human health.

This book provides an up-to-date overview on the membrane technology for the drinking water treatment. The applications of PVDF-TiO2 nanowire hybrid ultrafiltration membrane, nanofiltration membrane, forward osmosis membrane, etc. in water treatment are discussed in detail. With abundant practical examples, the book is an essential reference for scientists, students and engineers in municipal engineering, environmental engineering, chemical engineering, environmental chemistry and material science.

Infants and children are regularly fed with processed foods, yet despite their importance in human development, these foods are rarely studied. This important book provides an exhaustive analysis of key technologies in the development of foods for babies and children, as well as the regulation and marketing of these food products. Contributors cover different aspects of food science and technology in development of baby foods, making this text an unique source of information on the subject. Food Science, Technology, and Nutrition for Babies and Children includes relevant chapters on infant milk formulas, essential fatty acids in baby foods, baby food-based cereals and macro- and micronutrients. This book also offers alternatives from the point of view of food technology for babies and children with special diet regimes associated to metabolic or enzymatic diseases such as allergy to casein, phenylalanine (phenylketonuria or commonly known as PKU) and gluten (celiac disease), or lactose intolerance. This book also addresses some nutritional aspects of babies and children in terms of the childhood obesity, child's appetite and parental feeding. With its comprehensive scope and up-to-date coverage of issues and trends in baby and children's foods, this is an outstanding book for food scientists and technologists, food industry professionals, researchers and nutritionists working with babies and children.

This book is an effort to tether all the exuberant observations on adding nanomaterial in the TPE matrix. With an enhanced processing property along with amplified recyclability and reprocessing feature, thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) proves to be one of the most significant polymeric materials till date. As the scientific world evolves, these advanced materials have attuned themselves with various anisotropic nanomaterials to induce an enhanced property effect on the final product. On an additional note, authors have done extensive research on graphene, the most multifaceted element in the filler family keeping TPE and its derivate as the matrix martial. Cogitating the idea of a multidimensional readership, authors have analyzed the synthesis, derivatization, and properties of graphene and its derivatives separately. Apart from reviewing the future prospects and the potential application of these nano-filled advanced materials, they have kept the structure-property relationship of graphene-based composites at the cynosure to provide firm understanding on the blossoming of these elastomeric composites. The authors believe this book is a potential content for both professionals and academicians.

This book consists of steps for the thermal & mechanical design of d-type water tube boilers. It provides the reader with guidance for burner, fan size, and capacity selection, furnace thermal and dimensional design, super heater primary thermal and mechanical design, and boiler bank and economizer design. Calculations of the methods and efficiency are also described. Mr Mehran Mousapoor, [email protected]

This edited book serves as a vital resource on the contributions of microorganisms to advances in nanotechnology, establishing their applications in diverse areas of biomedicine, environment, biocatalysis, food and nutrition, and renewable energy. It documents the impacts of microorganisms in nanotechnology leading to further developments in microbial nanobiotechnology. This book appeals to researchers and scholars of microbiology, biochemistry and nanotechnology.

This annual review of the literature presents a comprehensive and critical survey of the vast field of study involving organophosphorus compounds, from phosphines and related P-C bonded compounds to phosphorus acids, phosphine chalcogenides and nucleotides. The Editors have added to the content with a timely chapter on the recent developments in green synthetic approaches in organophosphorus chemistry to reflect current interests in the area. With an emphasis on interdisciplinary content, this book is aimed at the worldwide organic chemistry and engineering research communities.

Proteins are exposed to various interfacial stresses during drug product development. They are subjected to air-liquid, liquid-solid, and, sometimes, liquid-liquid interfaces throughout the development cycle-from manufacturing of drug substances to storage and drug delivery. Unlike small molecule drugs, proteins are typically unstable at interfaces where, on adsorption, they often denature and form aggregates, resulting in loss of efficacy and potential immunogenicity. This book covers both the fundamental aspects of proteins at interfaces and the quantification of interfacial behaviors of proteins. Importantly, this book introduces the industrial aspects of protein instabilities at interfaces, including the processes that introduce new interfaces, evaluation of interfacial instabilities, and mitigation strategies. The audience that this book targets encompasses scientists in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, as well as faculty and students from academia in the surface science, pharmaceutical, and medicinal chemistry areas.

Accidents in industrial installations are random events. Hence they cannot be totally avoided. Only the probability of their occurrence may be reduced and their consequences be mitigated. The book proceeds from hazards caused by materials and process conditions to indicating engineered and organizational measures for achieving the objectives of reduction and mitigation. Qualitative methods for identifying weaknesses of design and increasing safety as well as models for assessing accident consequences are presented. The quantitative assessment of the effectiveness of safety measures is explained. The treatment of uncertainties plays a role there. They stem from the random character of the accident and from lacks of knowledge of some of the phenomena to be addressed. The reader is acquainted with the simulation of accidents, with safety and risk analyses and learns how to judge the potential and limitations of mathematical modelling. Risk analysis is applied amongst others to "functional safety" and the determination of "appropriate distances" between industry and residential areas (land-use planning). This shows how it can be used as a basis for safety-relevant decisions. Numerous worked-out examples and case studies addressing real plants and situations deepen the understanding of the subjects treated and support self-study.

This book presents original results on the use of cassava wastewater as a substitute for potable water in ceramic formulations. It evaluates the physical and mechanical properties as well as the microstructure of the materials produced, comparing the products obtained from the incorporating effluent with the conventional materials used in the construction industry.