As part of the effort to increase the contribution of solar cells (photovoltaics) to our energy mix, this book addresses three main areas: making existing technology cheaper, promoting advanced technologies based on new architectural designs, and developing new materials to serve as light absorbers. Leading scientists throughout the world create a fundamental platform for knowledge sharing that combines the physics, materials, and device architectures of high-efficiency solar cells. While providing a comprehensive introduction to the field, the book highlights directions for further research, and is intended to stimulate readers' interest in the development of novel materials and technologies for solar energy applications.

This text provides a teachable and readable approach to transport phenomena (momentum, heat, and mass transport) by providing numerous examples and applications, which are particularly important to metallurgical, ceramic, and materials engineers. Because the authors feel that it is important for students and practicing engineers to visualize the physical situations, they have attempted to lead the reader through the development and solution of the relevant differential equations by applying the familiar principles of conservation to numerous situations and by including many worked examples in each chapter. The book is organized in a manner characteristic of other texts in transport phenomena. Section I deals with the properties and mechanics of fluid motion; Section II with thermal properties and heat transfer; and Section III with diffusion and mass transfer. The authors depart from tradition by building on a presumed understanding of the relationships between the structure and properties of matter, particularly in the chapters devoted to the transport properties (viscosity, thermal conductivity, and the diffusion coefficients). In addition, generous portions of the text, numerous examples, and many problems at the ends of the chapters apply transport phenomena to materials processing.

This book presents the proceedings of the "5th International Interdisciplinary Chaos Symposium on Chaos and Complex Systems (CCS)." All Symposia in the series bring together scientists, engineers, economists and social scientists, creating a vivid forum for discussions on the latest insights and findings obtained in the areas of complexity, nonlinear dynamics and chaos theory, as well as their interdisciplinary applications. The scope of the latest Symposium was enriched with a variety of contemporary, interdisciplinary topics, including but not limited to: fundamental theory of nonlinear dynamics, networks, circuits, systems, biology, evolution and ecology, fractals and pattern formation, nonlinear time series analysis, neural networks, sociophysics and econophysics, complexity management and global systems.

This unique book covers the fundamental principle of electron diffraction, basic instrumentation of RHEED, definitions of textures in thin films and nanostructures, mechanisms and control of texture formation, and examples of RHEED transmission mode measurements of texture and texture evolution of thin films and nanostructures. Also presented is a new application of RHEED in the transmission mode called RHEED pole figure technique that can be used to monitor the texture evolution in thin film growth and nanostructures and is not limited to single crystal epitaxial film growth. Details of the construction of RHEED pole figures and the interpretation of observed pole figures are presented. Materials covered include metals, semiconductors, and thin insulators. This book also: Presents a new application of RHEED in the transmission mode Introduces a variety of textures from metals, semiconductors, compound semiconductors, and their characteristics in RHEED pole figures Provides examples of RHEED measurements of texture and texture evolution, construction of RHEED pole figures, and interpretation of observed pole figures RHEED Transmission Mode and Pole Figures: Thin Film and Nanostructure Texture Analysis is ideal for researchers in materials science and engineering and nanotechnology.

This book deals with the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) a widely used atomic emission spectroscopy technique for elemental analysis of materials. It is based on the use of a high-power, short pulse laser excitation. The book is divided into two main sections: the first one concerning theoretical aspects of the technique, the second one describing the state of the art in applications of the technique in different scientific/technological areas. Numerous examples of state of the art applications provide the readers an almost complete scenario of the LIBS technique. The LIBS theoretical aspects are reviewed. The book helps the readers who are less familiar with the technique to understand the basic principles. Numerous examples of state of the art applications give an almost complete scenario of the LIBS technique potentiality. These examples of applications may have a strong impact on future industrial utilization. The authors made important contributions to the development of this field.

The trends and progress attained in computational kinematics over a broad class of problems are grouped into six parts describing the main themes: kinematics algorithms, discussing kinematics problems in light of their solution algorithms; kinematics of mechanisms, studying problems related to specific mechanisms; singularities; workspace, discussing the determination of the workspace of given mechanisms; parallel manipulators; and motion and grasp planning, touching on computational geometry. The volume contains a representative sample of the most modern techniques available for kinetics problems, including techniques based on advances in algebraic geometry. Researchers, graduate students and practising engineers in work relating to kinematics, robotics, machine design and computer science should find this work useful.

This book introduces two of the most exciting heat pumping technologies, the coabsorbent and the thermal recovery (mechanical vapor) compression, characterized by a high potential in primary energy savings and environmental protection. New cycles with potential applications of nontruncated, truncated, hybrid truncated, and multi-effect coabsorbent types are introduced in this work.

Thermal-to-work recovery compression (TWRC) is the first of two particular methods explored here, including how superheat is converted into work, which diminishes the compressor work input. In the second method, thermal-to-thermal recovery compression (TTRC), the superheat is converted into useful cooling and/or heating, and added to the cycle output effect via the coabsorbent technology. These and other methods of discharge gas superheat recovery are analyzed for single-, two-, three-, and multi-stage compression cooling and heating, ammonia and ammonia-water cycles, and the effectiveness results are given.

The author presents absorption-related topics, including the divided-device method for mass and heat transfer analysis, and truncation as a unique method for a better source-task match. Along with advanced gax recovery, the first and second principles of COP and exergy calculation, the ideal point approaching (i.p.a.) effect and the two-point theory of mass and heat transfer, the book also addresses the new wording of the Laplace equation, the Marangoni effect true explanation, and the new mass and heat exchangers based on this effect.

The work goes on to explore coabsorbent separate and combined cooling, heating, and power (CHP) production and advanced water-lithium bromide cycle air-conditioning, as well as analyzing high-efficiency ammonia-water heat-driven heating and industrial low-temperature cooling, in detail.

Readers will learn how coabsorbent technology is based on classic absorption, but is more general. It is capable of offering effective solutions for all cooling and heating applications (industry, agriculture, district, household, etc.), provided that two supplying heat-sink sources with temperatures outdistanced by a minimum of 12-15 C are available.This book has clear and concise presentation and illustrates the theory and applications with diagrams, tables, and flowcharts."

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the science of nanostructured oxides. It details the fundamental techniques and methodologies involved in oxides thin film and bulk growth, characterization and device processing, as well as heterostructures. Both, experts in oxide nanostructures and experts in thin film heteroepitaxy, contribute the interactions described within this book.

Bringing together experts from the various disciplines involved, this first comprehensive overview of the current level of stress engineering on the nanoscale is unique in combining the theoretical fundamentals with simulation methods, model systems and characterization techniques. Essential reading for researchers in microelectronics, optoelectronics, sensing, and photonics.

This book presents the findings of experimental and theoretical (including first-principles molecular dynamics simulation) studies of nanostructured and nanocomposite metal-based materials, and nanoscale multilayer coatings fabricated by physical or chemical vapor deposition, magnetron sputtering, electrospark alloying, ionic layer absorption, contact melting, and high-current electron beam irradiation. It also discusses novel methods of nanocomposite formation, as well as the structure of the deposited films, coatings and other nanoscale materials, their elemental and phase composition, and their physical-mechanical, tribological, magnetic and electrical properties. Lastly, it explores the influence of a various surface modification methods, such as thermal annealing, pulsed laser modification, and thermomechanical and ultrasonic treatment, as well as different properties of nanostructured films.

This book covers a variety of topics in mechanics, with a special emphasis on material mechanics. It reports on fracture mechanics, fatigue of materials, stress-strain behaviours, as well as transferability problems and constraint effects in fracture mechanics. It covers different kind of materials, from metallic materials such as ferritic and austenitic steels, to composites, concrete, polymers and nanomaterials. Additional topics include heat transfer, quality control and reliability of structures and components. Furthermore, the book gives particular attention to new welding technologies such as STIR welding and spray metal coating, and to novel methods for quality control, such as Taguchi design, fault diagnosis and wavelet analysis. Based on the 2015 edition of the Algerian Congress of Mechanics (Congres Algerien de Mecanique, CAM), the book also covers energetics, in terms of simulation of turbulent reactive flow, behaviour of supersonic jet, turbulent combustion, fire induced smoke layer, and heat and mass transfer, as well as important concepts related to human reliability and safety of components and structures. All in all, the book represents a complete, practice-oriented reference guide for both academic and professionals in the field of mechanics.

The idea of this monograph is to present the latest results related to design and computation of engineering materials and structures. The contributions cover the classical fields of mechanical, civil and materials engineering up to biomechanics and advanced materials processing and optimization. The materials and structures covered can be categorized into modern steels and titanium alloys, composite materials, biological and natural materials, material hybrids and modern joining technologies. Analytical modelling, numerical simulation, the application of state-of-the-art design tools and sophisticated experimental techniques are applied to characterize the performance of materials and to design and optimize structures in different fields of engineering applications.

This volume highlights the latest developments and trends in advanced materials and their properties, the modeling and simulation of non-classical materials and structures, and new technologies for joining materials. It presents the developments of advanced materials and respective tools to characterize and predict the material properties and behavior.

This book covers the complete spectrum of the fundamentals of clocked, regenerative comparators, their state-of-the-art, advanced CMOS technologies, innovative comparators inclusive circuit aspects, their characterization and properties. Starting from the basics of comparators and the transistor characteristics in nanometer CMOS, seven high-performance comparators developed by the authors in 120nm and 65nm CMOS are described extensively. Methods and measurement circuits for the characterization of advanced comparators are introduced. A synthesis of the largely differing aspects of demands on modern comparators and the properties of devices being available in nanometer CMOS, which are posed by the so-called nanometer hell of physics, is accomplished. The book summarizes the state of the art in integrated comparators. Advanced measurement circuits for characterization will be introduced as well as the method of characterization by bit-error analysis usually being used for characterization of optical receivers. The book is compact, and the graphical quality of the illustrations is outstanding. This book is written for engineers and researchers in industry as well as scientists and Ph.D students at universities. It is also recommendable to graduate students specializing on nanoelectronics and microelectronics or circuit design.

This book highlights the principles and technologies of flotation machine mainly used in mineral processing in detail. Froth flotation is one of the most important mineral processing techniques. Over 90% of the nonferrous minerals and 50% of the ferrous minerals in the world are treated using flotation: a complicated technique including procedures from chemistry, physics and multi-scale fluid mechanics. The book introduces readers to air-forced and air-induced flotation cells and discusses the various mechanical structures and working principles involved. A number of examples from industrial engineering practice are also discussed throughout the book, helping readers to better understand the technology and relevant equipment. The book is intended for researchers, professionals and graduate students in the fields of mining and mineral processing engineering.

This work deals with numerical simulations of fresh concrete flows. After the first introductory chapter dealing with the various physical phenomena involved in flows of fresh cementitious materials, the aim of the second chapter is to give an overview of the work carried out on simulation of flow of cement-based materials using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). This includes governing equations, constitutive equations, analytical and numerical solutions, and examples showing simulations of testing, mixing and castings. The third chapter focuses on the application of Discrete Element Method (DEM) in simulating the flow of fresh concrete. The fourth chapter is an introductory text about numerical errors both in CFD and DEM whereas the fifth and last chapter give some recent examples of numerical simulations developed by various authors in order to simulate the presence of grains or fibers in a non-Newtonian cement matrix.

This book concisely illustrates the techniques of major surface analysis and their applications to a few key examples. Surfaces play crucial roles in various interfacial processes, and their electronic/geometric structures rule the physical/chemical properties. In the last several decades, various techniques for surface analysis have been developed in conjunction with advances in optics, electronics, and quantum beams. This book provides a useful resource for a wide range of scientists and engineers from students to professionals in understanding the main points of each technique, such as principles, capabilities and requirements, at a glance. It is a contemporary encyclopedia for selecting the appropriate method depending on the reader's purpose.

Fourier Transform Infrared microspectroscopy (FTIR) was first developed by William Coblentz in 1905 for analytical purposes. It has been established as a powerful analytical method to analyze a wide range of materials. The most convenient way to analyze the molecular structure was to prepare KBr pellets with small amount of chemical species. Currently, the development of the Universal Attenuated Total Reflectance (UATR) allows the use of ZnSe-Diamond crystal to acquire FTIR spectra directly from the sample with no special preparation. These traditional FTIR analyses have been made with devices capable of performing single measurements, thus, providing a single IR spectrum of the sample. Recent major technological development in FTIR instrumentation was development of microscopes and imaging systems. These devices are now capable of imaging larger sample area, providing not only spectroscopic information but also spatial distributional information. In addition, the development of Focal Point Array (FPA) has made FTIR imaging an emerging area of chemical imaging research. The aim of this book is to summarize in a single document the research work that is being performed using UATR and IR imaging in selected emerging applications in plant materials and biological samples. This book provides the readers new knowledge, updates information, emerging applications, and understanding of the potential use of FTIR Microspectroscopy.

Polymers selected for this edition of the Handbook of Polymers include all major polymeric materials used by the plastics and other branches of the chemical industry as well as specialty polymers used in the electronics, pharmaceutical, medical, and space fields. Extensive information is included on biopolymers.

The data included in the Handbook of Polymers come from open literature (published articles, conference papers, and books), literature available from manufacturers of various grades of polymers, plastics, and finished products, and patent literature. The above sources were searched, including the most recent literature. It can be seen from the references that a large portion of the data comes from information published in 2011. This underscores one of the major goals of this undertaking, which is to provide readers with the most up-to-date information.

Frequently, data from different sources vary in a broad range and they have to be reconciled. In such cases, values closest to their average and values based on testing of the most current grades of materials are selected to provide readers with information which is characteristic of currently available products, focusing on the potential use of data in solving practical problems. In this process of verification many older data were rejected unless they have been confirmed by recently conducted studies.

Presentation of data for all polymers is based on a consistent pattern of data arrangement, although, depending on data availability, only data fields which contain actual values are included for each individual polymer. The entire scope of the data is divided into sections to make data comparison and search easy.

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Handbook of Polymers contains information on all essential data used in practical applications, research, and legislation The most sought after data for over 230 of the most widely used polymers

The most up-to-date reference data available in print

Surface engineering includes many facets of materials science that help regulate the function, quality, and safety of products such as automotive, textile, and electronic materials. New technologies are developing to help enhance the surface performance. Surface Engineering Techniques and Applications: Research Advancements provides recent developments in surface engineering techniques and applications. It details scientific and technological results while also giving insight to current research, economic impact, and environmental concerns so that academics, practitioners, and professionals in the field, as well as students studying these areas, can deepen their understanding of new surface processes.

This exhaustive work in several volumes and over 2500 pages provides a thorough treatment of ultra-high temperature materials (with melting points around or over 2500 DegreesC). The first volume focuses on carbon (graphene/graphite) and refractory metals (W, Re, Os, Ta, Mo, Nb and Ir), whilst the second and third are dedicated to refractory transition metal 4-5 groups carbides. Topics included are physical (structural, thermal, electro-magnetic, optical, mechanical, nuclear) and chemical (more than 3000 binary, ternary and multi-component systems, including those used for materials design, data on solid-state diffusion, wettability, interaction with various elements and compounds in solid and liquid states, gases and chemicals in aqueous solutions) properties of these materials. It will be of interest to researchers, engineers, postgraduate, graduate and undergraduate students alike. The readers/users are provided with the full qualitative and quantitative assessment, which is based on the latest updates in the field of fundamental physics and chemistry, nanotechnology, materials science, design and engineering.

By drawing together the current theoretical and experimental understanding of the phenomena of delayed hydride cracking (DHC) in zirconium alloys, The Effect of Hydrogen and Hydrides on the Integrity of Zirconium Alloy Components: Delayed Hydride Cracking provides a detailed explanation focusing on the properties of hydrogen and hydrides in these alloys. Whilst the emphasis lies on zirconium alloys, the combination of both the empirical and mechanistic approaches creates a solid understanding that can also be applied to other hydride forming metals. This up-to-date reference focuses on documented research surrounding DHC, including current methodologies for design and assessment of the results of periodic in-service inspections of pressure tubes in nuclear reactors. Emphasis is placed on showing how our understanding of DHC is supported by progress in general understanding of such broad fields as the study of hysteresis associated with first order phase transformations, phase relationships in coherent crystalline metallic solids, the physics of point and line defects, diffusion of substitutional and interstitial atoms in crystalline solids, and continuum fracture and solid mechanics. Furthermore, an account of current methodologies is given illustrating how such understanding of hydrogen, hydrides and DHC in zirconium alloys underpins these methodologies for assessments of real life cases in the Canadian nuclear industry. The all-encompassing approach makes The Effect of Hydrogen and Hydrides on the Integrity of Zirconium Alloy Component: Delayed Hydride Cracking an ideal reference source for students, researchers and industry professionals alike.

This book provides a systematic and comprehensive account of the recent developments in the recycling of plastic waste material. It presents state-of-the-art procedures for recycling of plastics from different sources and various characterization methods adopted in analyzing their properties. In addition, it looks into properties, processing, and applications of recycled plastic products as one of the drivers for sustainable recycling plastics especially in developing countries. This book proves a useful reference source for both engineers and researchers working in composite materials science as well as the students attending materials science, physics, chemistry, and engineering courses.

These are the proceedings of the International Conference on Design, Fabrication and Economy of Metal Structures held on 24-26 April 2013 in Miskolc, Hungary which contain 99 papers covering: Structural optimizationThin-walled structuresStabilityFatigue FramesFireFabricationWelding technologyApplicationsSteel-concrete compositeSpecial problems

The authors are from 23 different countries, ensuring that the themes covered are of worldwide interest and importance. The International Institute of Welding (IIW), the International Society of Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization (ISSMO), the TAMOP 4.2.1.B-10/2/KONV-2010-0001 project entitled "Increasing the quality of higher education through the development of research - development and innovation program at the University of Miskolc supported by the European Union, co-financed by the European Social Fund" and many other sponsors helped organizers to collect these valuable studies, the results of which will provoke discussion, and provide an important reference for civil and mechanical engineers, architects, researchers and structural designers and fabricators, as well as managers in a range of industries including building, transport, shipbuilding, aircraft, chemical and offshore engineering.

This book offers detailed descriptions of the methods available to predict the occurrence of diffusion in alloys subjected to various processes. Major topic areas covered include diffusion equations, atomic theory of diffusion, diffusion in dilute alloys, diffusion in a concentration gradient, diffusion in non-metals, high diffusivity paths, and thermo- and electro-transport.