Computational Intelligence in Manufacturing addresses applications of AI, machine learning and other innovative computational techniques across the manufacturing supply chain. The rapid development of smart or digital manufacturing known as Industry 4.0 has swiftly provided a large number of opportunities for product and manufacturing process improvement. Selecting the appropriate technologies and combining them successfully is a challenge this book helps readers overcome . It explains how to prepare different manufacturing cells for flexibility and enhanced productivity with better supply chain management, e.g., calibrating design machine tools for automation and agility. Computational intelligence applications for non-conventional manufacturing processes such as ECM and EDM are covered alongside recent advances in traditional processes like casting, welding and metal forming. As well as describing specific applications, this practical guide also explains the computational intelligence paradigm for enhanced supply chain management.

Advanced Nanomaterials and Nanocomposites for Bioelectrochemical Systems covers advancements in nanomaterial and nanocomposite applications for microbial fuel cells. One of the advantages of using microbial fuel cells is the simultaneous treatment of wastewater and the generation of electricity from complex organic waste and biomass, which demonstrates that microbial fuel cells are an active area of frontier research. The addition of microorganisms is essential to enhance the reaction kinetics. This type of fuel cell helps to convert complex organic waste into useful energy through the metabolic activity of microorganisms, thereby generating energy. By incorporating nano-scale fillers into the nanocomposite matrix, the performance of the anode material can be improved. This is an important reference source for materials scientists and engineers who want to learn more about how nanotechnology is being used to create more efficient fuel cells.

Antiviral and Antimicrobial Smart Coatings: Fundamentals and Applications provides a critical analysis of all types of smart antiviral and antimicrobial coatings currently being researched. The book opens with a discussion of the microbial and viral pathogens, including how to identify them and their interaction with surfaces. The next three sections look at the concept of smart coatings, specifically antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral smart coatings, types, effects, and applications. The book concludes by discussing the methods and standards for characterization of coatings and then presents several real world case studies. A valuable resource for those working in the smart coatings field.

Gold and Silver Nanoparticles: Synthesis and Applications provides detailed information on the preparation and utilization of Au- and Ag-based nanoparticles in a range of novel areas. Gold and silver nanoparticles offer a range of interesting properties, including unique size-dependent optoelectronic properties, chemical stability and biocompatibility, ease of synthesis and surface modification, excellent resistance to corrosion, and catalytic properties, hence paving the way to a wide range of cutting-edge applications with continual advances and innovations. Sections introduce gold and silver nanoparticles, fundamental theory, synthesis, and characterization techniques before focusing on requirements and preparation methods. Specific applications areas, such as surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), sensing and biosensing, imaging, drug and gene delivery, disease diagnosis, catalysis, and optoelectronic device fabrication are covered. Finally, synthesis and applications of platinum- and palladium-based nanoparticles are discussed. This is a valuable resource for researchers and advanced students across nanoscience and nanotechnology, chemistry, and materials science, as well as scientists, engineers, and R&D professionals with an interest in noble metal nanomaterials for a range of industrial applications.

Functional Fillers: Chemical Composition, Morphology, Performance, Applications, Second Edition covers the structure, physical properties, electrical and magnetic properties, and applications of fillers. The book includes two sections, with the first part covering classic fillers, analyzing the current modifications in relation to composition and morphology, and enabling enhancements in properties and applications. The second part presents the new generation of fillers, which provide designers with exceptional properties not previously available. Applications discussed include lubricants, anti-corrosion, antimicrobial, and more. Renewable fillers and recycling of fillers are covered as well.

Advances in Imaging and Electron Physics, Volume 224 highlights new advances in the field, with this new volume presenting interesting chapters on Measuring elastic deformation and orientation gradients by scanning electron microscopy - conventional, new and emerging methods, Development of an alternative global method with high angular resolution, Implementing the new global method, Numerical validation of the method and influence of optical distortions, and Applications of the method.

Sustainable Materials for Next Generation Energy Devices: Challenges and Opportunities presents the latest state-of-the-art knowledge and innovation related to environmentally-friendly functional materials that can be developed for, and employed in, producing a feasible next generation of energy storage and conversion devices. The book is broken up into three sections, covering Energy Storage, Energy Conversion and Advanced Concepts. It will be an important reference for researchers, engineers and students who want to gain extensive knowledge in green and/or sustainable functional materials and their applications.

The Mechanics of Hydrogels: Mechanical Properties, Testing, and Applications offers readers a systematic description of the mechanical properties and characterizations of hydrogels. Practical topics such as manufacturing hydrogels with controlled mechanical properties and the mechanical testing of hydrogels are covered at length, as are areas such as inelastic and nonlinear deformation, rheological characterization, fracture and indentation testing, mechanical properties of cellularly responsive hydrogels, and more. Proper instrumentation and modeling techniques for measuring the mechanical properties of hydrogels are also explored.

Wool Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites is an in-depth and practical exploration of wool-based composites, covering everything from the morphology of wool fiber to the industrial applications of wool composites. Wool has emerged in the top position for this role because of its unique characteristics. While fine wool is too costly for many such applications, coarse wool of greater than 35 microns fiber length is globally under-utilized. This pioneering book describes every form of wool composite, woven, nonwoven, felt and fiber, including different fabrication methods. In unique detail, the international team of expert contributors describe the morphology, structure and properties of wool, methods for the chemical modification of wool, different forms of wool-polymer composites, and many exciting emerging applications.

Nanomaterials for Soil Remediation provides a comprehensive description on basic knowledge and current research progress in the field of soil treatment using nanomaterials. Soil pollution refers to the presence of toxic chemicals in soil. Compared with air and water remediations, soil remediation is technically more challenging due to its complex composition. The synergy between engineering and nanotechnology has resulted in rapid developments in soil remediation. Nanomaterials could offer new routes to address challenging and pressing issues facing soil pollution. This book aims to explore how nanomaterials are used to cleanse polluted soils (organic compounds and heavy metal-contaminated soils) through various nanomaterials-based techniques (chemical/physical/biological techniques and their integrations).

Since delays are present in 99% of industrial processes, Control Strategy for Time-delay Systems covers all the important features of real-world practical applications which will be valuable to practicing engineers and specialists The book presents the views of the editors on promising research directions and future industrial applications in this area. Although the fundamentals of time-delay systems are discussed, the book focuses on the advanced modelling and control of such systems and will provide the analysis and test (or simulation) results of nearly every technique described in the book For this purpose, highly complex models are introduced to describe the mentioned new applications which are characterized by time-varying delays with intermittent and stochastic nature, several types of nonlinearities, and the presence of different time-scales. Researchers, practitioners and PhD students will gain insights into the prevailing trends in design and operation of real-time control systems, reviewing the shortcomings and future developments concerning the practical system issues such as standardization, protection and design.

Multi-scale modelling of composites is a very relevant topic in composites science. This is illustrated by the numerous sessions in the recent European and International Conferences on Composite Materials, but also by the fast developments in multi-scale modelling software tools, developed by large industrial players such as Siemens (Virtual Material Characterization toolkit and MultiMechanics virtual testing software), MSC/e-Xstream (Digimat software), Simulia (micromechanics plug-in in Abaqus), HyperSizer (Multi-scale design of composites), Altair (Altair Multiscale Designer) This book is intended to be an ideal reference on the latest advances in multi-scale modelling of fibre-reinforced polymer composites, that is accessible for both (young) researchers and end users of modelling software. We target three main groups: This book aims at a complete introduction and overview of the state-of-the-art in multi-scale modelling of composites in three axes: * ranging from prediction of homogenized elastic properties to nonlinear material behaviour * ranging from geometrical models for random packing of unidirectional fibres over meso-scale geometries for textile composites to orientation tensors for short fibre composites * ranging from damage modelling of unidirectionally reinforced composites over textile composites to short fibre-reinforced composites The book covers the three most important scales in multi-scale modelling of composites: (i) micro-scale, (ii) meso-scale and (iii) macro-scale. The nano-scale and related atomistic and molecular modelling approaches are deliberately excluded, since the book wants to focus on continuum mechanics and there are already a lot of dedicated books about polymer nanocomposites. A strong focus is put on physics-based damage modelling, in the sense that the chapters devote attention to modelling the different damage mechanisms (matrix cracking, fibre/matrix debonding, delamination, fibre fracture,...) in such a way that the underlying physics of the initiation and growth of these damage modes is respected. The book also gives room to not only discuss the finite element based approaches for multi-scale modelling, but also much faster methods that are popular in industrial software, such as Mean Field Homogenization methods (based on Mori-Tanaka and Eshelby solutions) and variational methods (shear lag theory and more advanced theories). Since the book targets a wide audience, the focus is put on the most common numerical approaches that are used in multi-scale modelling. Very specialized numerical methods like peridynamics modelling, Material Point Method, eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM), isogeometric analysis, SPH (Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics),... are excluded. Outline of the book The book is divided in three large parts, well balanced with each a similar number of chapters: Part I deals with all "ingredients" to start with multi-scale modelling, limited to elastic property prediction. This typically includes: (i) setting up your geometrical model at micro- or meso-scale (definition of Representative Volume Element (RVE) or Repeating Unit Cell (RUC)), (ii) definition of periodic boundary conditions, (iii) homogenization of the elastic properties, starting from the elastic properties of the constituents, (iv) importance of statistical representation of geometry and stochastic nature of fibre architecture. This should bring all readers at the same level of principles and terminology for multi-scale modelling. Advanced users could eventually skip this first part. Part II deals with nonlinear multi-scale modelling. We build further upon the ingredients from Part I, but now add all kinds of nonlinearities to the simulation at micro- or meso-scale (matrix cracking, delamination, fibre/matrix debonding, delamination, fibre failure, visco-elasto-plasticity-damage of the polymer matrix,...). Not only finite element based techniques are covered, but also much faster inclusion methods (Mori-Tanaka, Eshelby,...) and variational methods. Part III deals with the laminate scale or macro-scale, where all these multi-scale modelling tools are applied for macro-scale ply-based modelling and virtual testing of laminates (in static loading, but also sometimes for prediction of fatigue, post-impact strength,...). In all three parts, the main three types of fibre reinforcement are covered (unidirectionally reinforced composites, textile composites and short fibre composites). The chapters are written by leading authorities from academia, and each chapter gives a self-contained overview of a specific topic, covering the state-of-the-art and future research challenges.

Biocomposite and Synthetic Composites for Automotive Applications provides a detailed review of advanced macro and nanocomposite materials and structures, and discusses their use in the transport industry, specifically for automotive applications. This book covers materials selection, properties and performance, design solutions, and manufacturing techniques. A broad range of different material classes are reviewed with emphasis on advanced materials and new research pathways where composites can be derived from agricultural waste in the future, as well as the development and performance of hybrid composites. The book is an essential reference resource for those researching materials development and industrial design engineers who need a detailed understanding of materials usage in transport structures. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis of composite products in automotive applications is also discussed, and the effect of different fiber orientation on crash performance. Synthetic/natural fiber composites for aircraft engine fire-designated zones are linked to automotive applications. Additional chapters include the application and use of magnesium composites compared to biocomposites in the automotive industry; autonomous inspection and repair of aircraft composite structures via vortex robot technology and its application in automotive applications; composites in a three-wheeler (tuk tuk); and thermal properties of composites in automotive applications.

Nanoformulation Strategies for Cancer Treatment provides an up-to-date review on current developments and regulatory and clinical challenges in the field of nanopharmaceuticals and the effective treatment of diverse varieties of cancer. This important reference source is ideal for biomaterials scientists and pharmaceutical scientists working in the area of cancer diagnosis and therapy. Due to the high cost of traditional cancer treatment types, researchers have increasingly looked for new ways to augment the therapeutic performance of existing drug candidates. The use of nanotechnology-based approaches have gained significant momentum, thus leading to the launch of a series of new drug products. As nanopharmaceuticals improve the therapeutic performance of cancer therapy drugs, but also provide opportunities for site-specific drug targeting in tumors, this work is a welcomed resource on the topics discussed.

The term 'nanobattery' can refer not only to the nanosized battery, but also to the uses of nanotechnology in a macro-sized battery for enhancing its performance and lifetime. Nanobatteries can offer many advantages over the traditional battery, including higher power density, shorter charging time, and longer shelf life. Nano-generators refer to the uses of nanosized devices and materials to convert mechanical, thermal and light-based energies into electricity. Similar to with traditional battery, in nanobatteries, the chemical energy is converted into electricity. This book addresses the fundamental design concepts and promising applications of nanobatteries and nanogenerators. Particular application areas include healthcare, biomedical, smart nanodevices and nanosensors, which may require new electric power sources, including self-powered ability and nanostructured electric power sources. In this regard, nanobatteries and nanogenerators represent the next generation of electric power. This is an important reference source for materials scientists, engineers and energy scientists, who are looking to increase their understanding of how nanotechnology is being used to create new energy storage and generation solutions.

Polymeric Biomaterials for Healthcare Applications details a broad range of polymeric biomaterials, methods of synthesis and preparation, and their various applications in healthcare and biomedicine. The book provides a fundamental overview of polymers and processing technologies to allow clinical scientists to explore the use of these polymers in alternative applications. A wide variety of healthcare applications are covered, including treatment for autoimmune diseases and bacterial infections, tissue engineering, gene delivery, wound dressing, and more. The book provides a core introductory text for clinical and materials scientists new to the area of polymeric biomaterials. This book will prove useful to academics and researchers in materials science, biomedical engineering, clinical science and pharmaceutical science.

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

Optimizing the process of converting heat into mechanical power is a major challenge when it comes to meeting targets for protecting primary energy resources and minimizing our environmental impact. For many years to come, the use of thermal engines will continue to be necessary for transportation on land, by sea and by air, as well as for many industrial applications. Against this background, Thermodynamics of Heat Engines aims to present a comprehensive overview of the thermodynamic concepts, including combustion, that are necessary for understanding the phenomena governing the energy efficiency of internal and external combustion engines as well as that of gas turbines and jet propulsion engines. Existing and developing industrial applications, based on combined heat and power (CHP) or the use of staged cycles, are presented, with particular attention paid to the recovery of low temperature waste heat. This book, which is mainly intended for university and engineering students but is also useful for engineers and technicians working in the fields concerned, provides a basis for reflection on the optimization of energy systems.

Metal-Reinforced Ceramics covers the principle of metal-fiber-reinforced ceramics, a well-known topic in the field of reinforced concrete. Much of the work that has been done has remained unpublished, hidden in industrial company archives due to the commercial sensitivity associated with the respective technologies that prevailed at the time, which no longer applies today. This book will discuss advanced technologies that have largely been undocumented before in a broad range of industrial application areas, with updates on alumina, silicon carbide, boron carbide, tungsten carbide, fused silica, and carbon-based ceramics which are hard, heat resistant, wear resistant, and chemically durable.

Biopolymers and Biocomposites from Agro-waste for Packaging Applications looks at the utilization of biocomposites and biopolymers for packaging applications. The book focuses on the development of affordable, innovative, sustainable packaging products made from biopolymers and biocomposites derived from agricultural waste/biomass and how they that result in improved shelf-life performance. In addition, it explores how these affordable packaging products can reduce food loss across the supply chain, the future direction of setting-up platforms for broader uses, and how these products can also contribute to minimizing waste-to-landfill problems.

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

Liutex and Its Applications in Turbulence Research reviews the history of vortex definition, provides an accurate mathematical definition of vortices, and explains their applications in flow transition, turbulent flow, flow control, and turbulent flow experiments. The book explains the term "Rortex" as a mathematically defined rigid rotation of fluids or vortex, which could help solve many longstanding problems in turbulence research. The accurate mathematical definition of the vortex is important in a range of industrial contexts, including aerospace, turbine machinery, combustion, and electronic cooling systems, so there are many areas of research that can benefit from the innovations described here. This book provides a thorough survey of the latest research in generalized and flow-thermal, unified, law-of-the-wall for wall-bounded turbulence. Important theory and methodologies used for developing these laws are described in detail, including: the classification of the conventional turbulent boundary layer concept based on proper velocity scaling; the methodology for identification of the scales of velocity, temperature, and length needed to establish the law; and the discovery, proof, and strict validations of the laws, with both Reynolds and Prandtl number independency properties using DNS data. The establishment of these statistical laws is important to modern fluid mechanics and heat transfer research, and greatly expands our understanding of wall-bounded turbulence.

Hybrid Composite Perovskite Materials: Design to Applications discusses the manufacturing, design and characterization of organic-inorganic perovskite composite materials. The book goes beyond the basics of characterization and discusses physical properties, surface morphology and environmental stability. Users will find extensive examples of real-world products that are suitable for the needs of the market. Following a logical order, the book begins with mathematical background and then covers innovative approaches to physical modeling, analysis and design techniques. Numerous examples illustrate the proposed methods and results, making this book a sound resource on the modern research application of perovskite composites with real commercial value.

Organometallic Luminescence: A Case Study of Alq3, an OLED Reference Material contains many discoveries on Alq3, an important organometallic material to the optoelectronics community that includes insights that can be applied to other organic compounds. The book contains groundbreaking research from the author's own investigation into the Alq3 material that is based on years of experiments, the results of which initially escaped any logical explanation. The book describes a simple method based on photoluminescence to observe optical properties in Alq3, also covering the optical properties of absorption and long decay from theoretical and experimental perspectives.