The capability to generate potable water from polluted sources is growing in importance as pharmaceuticals, microplastics and waste permeate our soil. Nanotechnology allows for improvements in water remediation technologies by taking advantage of the unique properties of materials at this small scale.

This book discusses the recent advances in the wastes recycling technologies to provide low-cost and alternative ways for nanomaterials production. It shows how carbon nanomaterials can be synthesized from different waste sources such as banana fibers, argan (Argania spinosa) seed shells, corn grains, camellia oleifera shell, sugar cane bagasse, oil palm (empty fruit bunches and leaves) and palm kernel shells. Several nanostructured metal oxides (MnO2, Co3O4,....) can be synthesized via recycling of spent batteries. The recovered nanomaterials can be applied in many applications including: Energy (supercapacitors, solar cells, etc.) water treatments (heavy metal ions and dyes removal) and other applications. Spent battery and agriculture waste are rich precursors for metals and carbon, respectively. The book also explores the various recycling techniques, agriculture waste recycling, batteries recycling, and different applications of the recycled materials.

This book presents the main research advances in the field of photofunctional rare earth hybrid materials. The first chapter discusses the fundamental principles, ranging from rare earth, rare earth luminescence, luminescent rare earth compounds and photofunctional rare earth hybrid materials. The main body of the book consists of six chapters exploring different kinds of photofunctional hybrid materials, such as hybrids based on organically modified silica; organically modified mesoporous silica; functionalized microporous zeolite and metal-organic frameworks; polymer or polymer/silica composite; and multi-component assembly of hybrids. It also includes a chapter introducing the photofunctional application of these hybrid materials. It is a valuable resource for a wide readership in various fields of rare earth chemistry, chemical science and materials science.

In recent years, there have been many exciting breakthroughs in the application of nanotechnology to medicine. In Characterization of Nanoparticles Intended for Drug Delivery, expert researchers explore the latest advances in the field, providing a set of basic methods for the characterization of nanomaterials for medical use. Chapters provide methods to characterize the physiochemical properties (size, aggregation, and surface chemistry) and in vitro immunological and biological characteristics of nanomaterials. Composed in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology(TM) series format, each chapter contains a brief introduction, step-by-step methods, a list of necessary materials, and a Notes section which shares tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Comprehensive and informative, Characterization of Nanoparticles Intended for Drug Delivery is an essential survey of methods that are crucial to the preclinical characterization of nanomedicines.

This book presents nine chapters based on fundamental and applied research of alternative energies. At the present time, the challenge is that technology has to come up with solutions that can provide environmentally friendly energy supply options that are able to cover the current world energy demand. Experts around the world are working on these issues for providing new solutions that will break the existing technological barriers. This book aims to address key pillars in the alternative energy field, such as: biomass energy, hydrogen energy, solar energy, wind energy, hydroelectric power, geothermal energy and their environmental implications, with the most updated progress for each pillar. It also includes the life cycle assessment (LCA) and thermoeconomic analysis (TA) as tools for evaluating and optimising environmental and cost subjects. Chapters are organized into fundamental research, applied research and future trends; and written for engineers, academic researches and scientists.

This book provides an overview of the design, synthesis, and characterization of different photoactive hybrid organic-inorganic materials, based on the combination of mainly organic molecules and inorganic nanostructures, tackling their uses in different scientific fields from photonics to biomedicine. There are many examples extensively describing how the confinement of organic compounds (i.e. chromophores, photochromic molecules or photoreactants), or other photoactive compounds (i.e.metal clusters) into several microporous systems can modulate the photophysical properties and photochemical reactions leading to interesting applications. Among (ordered)-hosts, different systems of diverse nature are widely used, such as the, the 1D- or 3D- channels of zeolitic frameworks, interlayer space of 2D-clays, the organic nanospace of curcubituril and cyclodextrins or the organo-inorganic porous crystalline MOFs systems. This volume highlights the advances of these photoactive materials and aims to be an inspiration for researchers working in materials science and photochemistry, including chemists, material engineers, physicists, biologists, and medical researchers.

This thesis constitutes a detailed study of functional nanostructures (ferromagnetic, superconducting, metallic and semiconducting) fabricated by focused electron/ion beam induced deposition techniques. The nanostructures were grown using different precursor materials such as Co2(CO)8, Fe2(CO)9, W(CO)6, (CH3)3Pt(CpCH3), C10H8and were characterized by a wide range of techniques. This work reports results obtained for the morphology, the microstructure, the composition, the electrical transport mechanism, magnetic and superconducting properties of nanostructures. The results offers exciting prospects in a wide range of applications in nanotechnology and condensed matter physics.

This book introduces recent progress in stimuli-responsive interfaces constructed on colloidal materials such as micelles and vesicles and on solid material surfaces. There is discussion of the effect of stimuli such as light, heat, pH, and electric field on changes in the morphology of the molecules at the interfaces and that of colloidal materials. The changes in the properties, such as gelation ability, dispersibility, and emulsification ability, of the resultant bulk materials containing these colloidal materials or those of the solid material are also covered. In addition, design criteria for high sensitivity, quick responsiveness, and high reversibility are presented. In each author's original system, the correlations between molecular-level responses and bulk functional responses are described as well. This book serves as an excellent guide to designing and fabricating novel, functional, eco-friendly stimuli-responsive interfaces and related materials.

The book is dedicated to the method and application potential of micro segmented flow. The recent state of development of this powerful technique is presented in 12 chapters by leading researchers from different countries. In the first section, the principles of generation and manipulation of micro-fluidic segments are explained. In the second section, the micro continuous-flow synthesis of different types of nanomaterials is shown as a typical example for the use of advantages of the technique in chemistry. In the third part, the particular importance of the technique in biotechnical applications is presented demonstrating the progress for miniaturized cell-free processes, for molecular biology and DNA-based diagnostics and sequencing as well as for the development of antibiotics and the evaluation of toxic effects in medicine and environment.

This book contains precisely referenced chapters, emphasizing environment-friendly polymer nanocomposites with basic fundamentals, practicality and alternatives to traditional nanocomposites through detailed reviews of different environmental friendly materials procured from different resources, their synthesis and applications using alternative green approaches. The book aims at explaining basics of eco-friendly polymer nanocomposites from different natural resources and their chemistry along with practical applications which present a future direction in the biomedical, pharmaceutical and automotive industry. The book attempts to present emerging economic and environmentally friendly polymer nanocomposites that are free from side effects studied in the traditional nanocomposites. This book is the outcome of contributions by many experts in the field from different disciplines, with various backgrounds and expertises. This book will appeal to researchers as well as students from different disciplines. The content includes industrial applications and will fill the gap between the research works in laboratory to practical applications in related industries.

This book focuses on carbon nanotubes and graphene as representatives of nano-carbon materials, and describes the growth of new technology and applications of new devices. As new devices and as new materials, nano-carbon materials are expected to be world pioneers that could not have been realized with conventional semiconductor materials, and as those that extend the limits of conventional semiconductor performance. This book introduces the latest achievements of nano-carbon devices, processes, and technology growth. It is anticipated that these studies will also be pioneers in the development of future research of nano-carbon devices and materials. This book consists of 18 chapters. Chapters 1 to 8 describe new device applications and new growth methods of graphene, and Chapters 9 to 18, those of carbon nanotubes. It is expected that by increasing the advantages and overcoming the weak points of nanocarbon materials, a new world that cannot be achieved with conventional materials will be greatly expanded. We strongly hope this book contributes to its development.

Our brain is the source of everything that makes us human: language, creativity, rationality, emotion, communication, culture, politics. The neuroscienceshave given us, in recent decades, fundamental new insights into how the brain works and what that means for how we see ourselves as individuals and ascommunities. Now - with the help of new advances in nanotechnology - brain science proposes to go further: to study its molecular foundations, to repair brainfunctions, to create mind-machine interfaces, and to enhance human mental capacities in radical ways. This book explores the convergence of these tworevolutionary scientific fields and the implications of this convergence for the future of human societies. In the process, the book offers a significant new approachto technology assessment, one which operates in real-time, alongside the innovation process, to inform the ways in which new fields of science and technologyemerge in, get shaped by, and help shape human societies."

Dispersion forces acting on both atoms and bodies play a key role in modern nanotechnology. As demonstrated in this book, macroscopic quantum electrodynamics provides a powerful method for understanding and quantifying dispersion forces in a vast range of realistic scenarios. The basic physical concepts and theoretical steps allowfor thederivation ofoutlined general expressions for dispersion forces. As illustrated by a number of examples, these expressions can easily be used to study forces between objects of various shapes and materials, including effects like material absorption, nontrivial magnetic properties and dynamical forces asssociated with excited systems.

This book focuses on the use of nanotechnology in several fields of engineering. Among others, the reader will find valuable information as to how nanotechnology can aid in extending the life of component materials exposed to corrosive atmospheres, in thermal fluid energy conversion processes, anti-reflection coatings on photovoltaic cells to yield enhanced output from solar cells, in connection with friction and wear reduction in automobiles, and buoyancy suppression in free convective heat transfer. Moreover, this unique resource presents the latest research on nanoscale transport phenomena and concludes with a look at likely future trends.

The advent of microelectromechanic system (MEMS) technologies and nanotechnologies has resulted in a multitude of structures and devices with ultra compact dimensions and with vastly enhanced or even completely novel properties. In the field of photonics it resulted in the appearance of new paradigms, including photonic crystals that exhibit photonic bandgap and represent an optical analog of semiconductors and metamaterials that have subwavelength features and may have almost arbitrary values of effective refractive index, including those below zero. In addition to that, a whole new field of plasmonics appeared, dedicated to the manipulation with evanescent, surface-bound electromagnetic waves and offering an opportunity to merge nanoelectronics with all-optical circuitry. In the field of infrared technologies MEMS and nanotechnologies ensured the appearance of a new generation of silicon-based thermal detectors with properties vastly surpassing the conventional thermal devices. However, another family of infrared detectors, photonic devices based on narrow-bandgap semiconductors, has traditionally been superior to thermal detectors. Literature about their micro and nanophotonic enhancement has been scarce and scattered through journals. This book offers the first systematic approach to numerous different MEMS and nanotechnology-based methods available for the improvement of photonic infrared detectors and points out to a path towards uncooled operation with the performance of cryogenically cooled devices. It is shown that a vast area for enhancement does exists and that photonic devices can readily keep their leading position in infrared detection. The various methods and approaches described in the book are also directly applicable to different other types of photodetectors like solar cells, often with little or no modification.

A highly coveted objective of modern materials science is to optimize multiple coupled functionalities in the same single phase material and control the cross-response via multiple external fields. One important example of such multi-functionality are multiferroic materials where two or more ferroic properties are intrinsically coupled. They include, among others, the magneto-electric and magneto-structural materials, which are well understood at the nano- and continuum length (and time) scales. The next emerging frontier is to connect these two limiting scales by probing the mesoscale physics of these materials. This book not only attempts to provide this connection but also presents the state-of-the art of the present understanding and potential applications of many related complex multifunctional materials. The main emphasis is on the multiscale bridging of their properties with the aim to discover novel properties and applications in the context of materials by design. This interdisciplinary book serves both graduate students and expert researchers alike.

The second edition deals with all essential aspects of non-relativistic quantum physics up to the quantisation of fields. In contrast to common textbooks of quantum mechanics, modern experiments are described both for the purpose of foundation of the theory and in relation to recent applications. Links are made to important research fields and applications such as elementary particle physics, solid state physics and nuclear magnetic resonance in medicine, biology and material science. Special emphasis is paid to quantum physics in nanoelectronics such as resonant tunnelling, Coulomb blockade and the realisation of quantum bits. This second edition also considers quantum transport through quantum point contacts and its application as charge detectors in nanoelectronic circuits. Also the realization and the study of electronic properties of an artificial quantum dot molecule are presented. Because of its recent interest a brief discussion of Bose-Einstein condensation has been included, as well as the recently detected Higgs particle. Another essential new addition to the present book concerns a detailed discussion of the particle picture in quantum field theory. Counterintuitive aspects of single particle quantum physics such as particle-wave duality and the Einstein-Podolski-Rosen (EPR) paradox appear more acceptable to our understanding if discussed on the background of quantum field theory. The non-locality of quantum fields explains non-local behaviour of particles in classical Schroedinger quantum mechanics. Finally, new problems have been added. The book is suitable as an introduction into quantum physics, not only for physicists but also for chemists, biologists, engineers, computer scientists and even for philosophers as far as they are interested in natural philosophy and epistemology.

This book will provide readers with deep insight into the intriguing science of thermoelectric thin films. It serves as a fundamental information source on the techniques and methodologies involved in thermoelectric thin film growth, characterization and device processing. This book involves widespread contributions on several categories of thermoelectric thin films: oxides, chalcogenides, iodates, nitrides and polymers. This will serve as an invaluable resource for experts to consolidate their knowledge and will provide insight and inspiration to beginners wishing to learn about thermoelectric thin films. Provides a single-source reference on a wide spectrum of topics related to thermoelectric thin films, from organic chemistry to devices, from physical chemistry to applied physics, from synthesis to device implementation; Covers several categories of thermoelectric thin films based on different material approaches such as oxides, chalcogenides, iodates, nitrides and polymers; Discusses synthesis, characterization, and device processing of thermoelectric thin films, as well as the nanoengineering approach to tailor the properties of the used materials at the nanoscale level.

This comprehensive book covers the environmental issues concerning silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Following an introduction to the history, properties and applications, the environmental concerns of AgNPs is discussed. In the second chapter, the separation, characterization and quantification of AgNPs in environment samples are described in detail. In the remaining parts of the book, the authors focus on the environmental processes and effects of AgNPs, with chapters on the pathway into environment, fate and transport, toxicological effects and mechanisms, as well as the environmental bioeffects and safety-assessment of AgNPs in the environment. This book is designed to describe current understanding of the environmental aspects of AgNPs. It provides a valuable resource to students and researchers in environmental science and technology, nanotechnology, toxicology, materials science and ecology; as well as to professionals involved in the production and consumption of AgNPs in various areas including catalysis, food products, textiles/fabrics, and medical products and devices. Jingfu Liu and Guibin Jiang are professors at State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

A unique feature of this book is its focus on nanotechnological solutions for the production of bioenergy and biofuels. Coverage includes topics such as nanobiotechnology, microalgae, biofuel cells, biomass pretreatment, and biomass conversion. An international team of experts also addresses the need to precisely characterize nanoparticles and the role of catalysts. The range of topics addressed, together with a chapter on risk management, make this book a highly useful resource for a broad readership including physicists, chemists, microbiologists, biotechnologists, food technologists, agricultural engineers, and nanotechnologists.

This book covers the continually expanding field of metal nanoparticles and clusters, in particular their size-dependent properties and quantum phenomena. The approaches to the organization of atoms that form clusters and nanoparticles have been advancing rapidly in recent times. These advancements are described through a combination of experimental and computational approaches and are covered in detail by the authors. Recent highlights of the various emerging properties and applications ranging from plasmonics to catalysis are showcased.

This book provides a systematic presentation of the principles and practices behind the synthesis and functionalization of graphene and grapheme oxide (GO), as well as the fabrication techniques for transparent conductors from these materials. Transparent conductors are used in a wide variety of photoelectronic and photovoltaic devices, such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs), solar cells, optical communication devices, and solid-state lighting. Thin films made from indium tin oxide (ITO) have thus far been the dominant source of transparent conductors, and now account for 50% of indium consumption. However, the price of Indium has increased 1000% in the last 10 years. Graphene, a two-dimensional monolayer of sp2-bonded carbon atoms, has attracted significant interest because of its unique transport properties. Because of their high optical transmittance and electrical conductivity, thin film electrodes made from graphene nanosheets have been considered an ideal candidate to replace expensive ITO films. Graphene for Transparent Conductors offers a systematic presentation of the principles, theories and technical practices behind the structure-property relationship of the thin films, which are the key to the successful development of high-performance transparent conductors. At the same time, the unique perspectives provided in the applications of graphene and GO as transparent conductors will serve as a general guide to the design and fabrication of thin film materials for specific applications.