Membrane Characterization provides a valuable source of information on how membranes are characterized, an extremely limited field that is confined to only brief descriptions in various technical papers available online. For the first time, readers will be able to understand the importance of membrane characterization, the techniques required, and the fundamental theory behind them. This book focuses on characterization techniques that are normally used for membranes prepared from polymeric, ceramic, and composite materials.

This book covers the basic theory and techniques, as well as various applications of pulsed electron-electron double resonance (PELDOR or DEER). This electron paramagnetic resonance technique is able to measure the distances and the distribution of distances between electron spins in the 1.5-15 nanometer scale; to determine the geometry of spin-labeled molecules; to estimate the number of interacting spins in spin clusters; and to characterize the spatial distribution of paramagnetic centers. As a result, PELDOR is now a popular method in EPR spectroscopy, particularly in the context of biologically important systems and soft matter and is also applied to problems in physical chemistry, biochemistry, polymers, soft matter and materials. Enabling readers to gain an understanding of the fundamentals of the PELDOR methods and an appreciation of the opportunities PELDOR provides, the book helps readers solve their own physical and biochemical problems.

Annual Reports on NMR Spectroscopy provides a thorough and in-depth accounting of progress in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and its many applications. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is an analytical tool used by chemists and physicists to study the structure and dynamics of molecules. In recent years, no other technique has gained as much significance as NMR spectroscopy. It is used in all branches of science in which precise structural determination is required, and where the nature of interactions and reactions in solution is being studied. This book has established itself as a premier means for both specialists and non-specialists looking to familiarize themselves with the newest techniques and applications pertaining to NMR spectroscopy.

This book systematically provides an overview of the use of a wide range of spectroscopic methods (Mid- and Near-Infrared, Infrared Emission, Raman, Solid-State Magic Angle Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, X-ray Photoelectron, Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure, X-ray Absorption Near Edge, Electron Spin and Moessbauer spectroscopy) to investigate kaolin minerals (kaolinite, dickite, nacrite and halloysite) and their modifications (intercalation compounds, nanocomposites and other modifications).

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) highlights major developments in this area, with results being set into the context of earlier work and presented as a set of critical yet coherent overviews. The topics covered describe contrasting types of application, ranging from biological areas such as EPR studies of free-radical reactions in biology and medically-related systems, to experimental developments and applications involving EPR imaging, the use of very high fields, and time-resolved methods. Critical and up-to-the-minute reviews of advances involving the design of spin-traps, advances in spin-labelling, paramagnetic centres on solid surfaces, exchange-coupled oligomers, metalloproteins and radicals in flavoenzymes are also included. As EPR continues to find new applications in virtually all areas of modern science, including physics, chemistry, biology and materials science, this series caters not only for experts in the field, but also those wishing to gain a general overview of EPR applications in a given area.

This book provides a state-of-the art overview of a highly interesting emerging research field in solid state physics/nanomaterials science, topological structures in ferroic materials. Topological structures in ferroic materials have received strongly increasing attention in the last few years. Such structures include domain walls, skyrmions and vortices, which can form in ferroelectric, magnetic, ferroelastic or multiferroic materials. These topological structures can have completely different properties from the bulk material they form in. They also can be controlled by external fields (electrical, magnetic, strain) or currents, which makes them interesting from a fundamental research point of view as well as for potential novel nanomaterials applications. To provide a comprehensive overview, international leading researches in these fields contributed review-like chapters about their own work and the work of other researchers to provide a current view of this highly interesting topic.

This second edition provides a cutting-edge overview of physical, technical and scientific aspects related to the widely used analytical method of confocal Raman microscopy. The book includes expanded background information and adds insights into how confocal Raman microscopy, especially 3D Raman imaging, can be integrated with other methods to produce a variety of correlative microscopy combinations. The benefits are then demonstrated and supported by numerous examples from the fields of materials science, 2D materials, the life sciences, pharmaceutical research and development, as well as the geosciences.

Imaging by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) has been established in clinical diagnosis and is conquering materials science with a rapidly expanding number of applications in basic research as well as product and quality control for fluid flow, elastomers, and polymer materials. This book will provide graduate students, scientists and engineers with an introduction to the field. It is the first book on the subject and is likely to become the standard text for years to come.

This book explores different aspects of LA-ICP-MS (laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry). It presents a large array of new analytical protocols for elemental or isotope analysis. LA-ICP-MS is a powerful tool that combines a sampling device able to remove very small quantities of material without leaving visible damage at the surface of an object. Furthermore, it functions as a sensitive analytical instrument that measures, within a few seconds, a wide range of isotopes in inorganic samples. Determining the elemental or the isotopic composition of ancient material is essential to address questions related to ancient technology or provenance and therefore aids archaeologists in reconstructing exchange networks for goods, people and ideas. Recent improvements of LA-ICP-MS have opened new avenues of research that are explored in this volume.

Designed to sit alongside more conventional established condensed matter physics textbooks, this compact volume offers a concise presentation of the principles of solid state theory, ideal for advanced students and researchers requiring an overview or a quick refresher on a specific topic. The book starts from the one-electron theory of solid state physics, moving through electron-electron interaction and many-body approximation schemes, to lattice oscillations and their interactions with electrons. Subsequent chapters discuss transport theory and optical properties, phase transitions and some properties of low-dimensional semiconductors. This extensively expanded second edition includes new material on adiabatic perturbation theory, kinetic coefficients, the Nyquist theorem, Bose condensation, and the field-theoretical approach to non-relativistic quantum electrodynamics. Throughout the text, mathematical proofs are often only sketched, and the final chapter of the book reviews some of the key concepts and formulae used in theoretical physics. Aimed primarily at graduate and advanced undergraduate students taking courses on condensed matter theory, the book serves as a study guide to reinforce concepts learned through conventional solid state texts. Researchers and lecturers will also find it a useful resource as a concise set of notes on fundamental topics.

IR spectroscopy has become without any doubt a key technique to answer questions raised when studying the interaction of proteins or peptides with solid surfaces for a fundamental point of view as well as for technological applications.

Principle, experimental set ups, parameters and interpretation rules of several advanced IR-based techniques; application to biointerface characterisation through the presentation of recent examples, will be given in this book. It will describe how to characterise amino acids, protein or bacterial strain interactions with metal and oxide surfaces, by using infrared spectroscopy, in vacuum, in the air or in an aqueous medium. Results will highlight the performances and perspectives of the technique.
Description of the principles, expermental setups and parameter interpretation, and the theory for several advanced IR-based techniques for interface characterisationContains examples which demonstrate the capacity, potential and limits of the IR techniquesHelps finding the most adequate mode of analysisContains examplesContains a glossary by techniques and by keywords

This book explores how nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy may be used for spatial structural elucidation of novel compounds from fungal and synthetic sources. Readers will discover the exciting world of NOE (nuclear Overhauser effect), RDC (residual dipolar coupling) and J-coupling constants, both short- and long range. With emphasis on obtaining structural knowledge from these NMR observables, focus is moved from solving a static 3D structure to solving the structural space inhabited by small organic molecules. The book outlines the development and implementation of two Heteronuclear Multiple Bond Correlation-type NMR experiments, and the 3D structural elucidation of multiple known and novel compounds. In addition, a new method of back-calculating RDCs (allowing for more flexible structures to be investigated), and the synthesis and evaluation of novel chiral alignment media for ab initio determination of absolute stereochemistry of small molecules using RDCs are also included. Challenges that 3D structural generation of small compounds face are also covered in this work.

This book features the essential material for any graduate or advanced undergraduate course covering solid-state electrochemistry. It provides the reader with fundamental course notes and numerous solved exercises, making it an invaluable guide and compendium for students of the subject. The book places particular emphasis on enhancing the reader's expertise and comprehension of thermodynamics, the Kroeger-Vink notation, the variation in stoichiometry in ionic compounds, and of the different types of electrochemical measurements together with their technological applications. Containing almost 100 illustrations, a glossary and a bibliography, the book is particularly useful for Master and PhD students, industry engineers, university instructors, and researchers working with inorganic solids in general.

This thesis reports a rare combination of experiment and theory on the role of geometry in materials science. It is built on two significant findings: that curvature can be used to guide crack paths in a predictive way, and that protected topological order can exist in amorphous materials. In each, the underlying geometry controls the elastic behavior of quasi-2D materials, enabling the control of crack propagation in elastic sheets and the control of unidirectional waves traveling at the boundary of metamaterials. The thesis examines the consequences of this geometric control in a range of materials spanning many orders of magnitude in length scale, from amorphous macroscopic networks and elastic continua to nanoscale lattices.

This book covers various aspects of characterization of materials in the areas of metals, alloys, steels, welding, nanomaterials, intermetallic, and surface coatings. These materials are obtained by different methods and techniques like spray, mechanical milling, sol-gel, casting, biosynthesis, and chemical reduction among others. Some of these materials are classified according to application such as materials for medical application, materials for industrial applications, materials used in the oil industry and materials used like coatings. The authors provide a comprehensive overview of structural characterization techniques including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy, image analysis, finite element method (FEM), optical microscopy (OM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential thermal analysis (DTA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), infrared photo-thermal radiometry (IPTR), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), thermo luminescence (TL), photoluminescence (PL), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and radio frequency (RF). The book includes theoretical models and illustrations of characterization properties-both structural and chemical.

This book presents the dispersion relation in heavily doped nano-structures. The materials considered are III-V, II-VI, IV-VI, GaP, Ge, Platinum Antimonide, stressed, GaSb, Te, II-V, HgTe/CdTe superlattices and Bismuth Telluride semiconductors. The dispersion relation is discussed under magnetic quantization and on the basis of carrier energy spectra. The influences of magnetic field, magneto inversion, and magneto nipi structures on nano-structures is analyzed. The band structure of optoelectronic materials changes with photo-excitation in a fundamental way according to newly formulated electron dispersion laws. They control the quantum effect in optoelectronic devices in the presence of light. The measurement of band gaps in optoelectronic materials in the presence of external photo-excitation is displayed. The influences of magnetic quantization, crossed electric and quantizing fields, intense electric fields on the on the dispersion relation in heavily doped semiconductors and super-lattices are also discussed. This book contains 200 open research problems which form the integral part of the text and are useful for graduate students and researchers. The book is written for post graduate students, researchers and engineers.

This book focuses on the study of the interfacial water using molecular dynamics simulation and experimental sum frequency generation spectroscopy. It proposes a new definition of the free O-H groups at water-air interface and presents research on the structure and dynamics of these groups. Furthermore, it discusses the exponential decay nature of the orientation distribution of the free O-H groups of interfacial water and ascribes the origin of the down pointing free O-H groups to the presence of capillary waves on the surface. It also describes how, based on this new definition, a maximum surface H-bond density of around 200 K at ice surface was found, as the maximum results from two competing effects. Lastly, the book discusses the absorption of water molecules at the water-TiO2 interface. Providing insights into the combination of molecular dynamics simulation and experimental sum frequency generation spectroscopy, it is a valuable resource for researchers in the field.

This thesis introduces a unique approach of applying atomic force microscopy to study the nanoelectromechanical properties of 2D materials, providing high-resolution computer-generated imagery (CGI) and diagrams to aid readers' understanding and visualization. The isolation of graphene and, shortly after, a host of other 2D materials has attracted a great deal of interest in the scientific community for both their range of extremely desirable and their record-breaking properties. Amongst these properties are some of the highest elastic moduli and tensile strengths ever observed in nature. The work, which was undertaken at Lancaster University's Physics department in conjunction with the University of Manchester and the National Physical Laboratory, offers a new approach to understanding the nanomechanical and nanoelectromechanical properties of 2D materials by utilising the nanoscale and nanosecond resolution of ultrasonic force and heterodyne force microscopy (UFM and HFM) - both contact mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. Using this approach and developing several other new techniques the authors succeeded in probing samples' subsurface and mechanical properties, which would otherwise remain hidden. Lastly, by using a new technique, coined electrostatic heterodyne force microscopy (E-HFM), the authors were able to observe nanoscale electromechanical vibrations with a nanometre and nanosecond resolution, in addition to probing the local electrostatic environment of devices fabricated from 2D materials.

This first volume in the new Fluorescence Spectroscopy series brings together fundametnal and applied research from this highly interdisciplinary field ranging from chemistry and physics to biology and medicine. Special attention is given to supramolecular systems, senso applications, confocal microscopy and protein-protein interactions. This casefully edited collection of state-of-the-art articles will serve as an invaluable tool for pactitioners and ..... and give them inspiration for new developments and applications.

This book introduces the ideas and concepts of nonlinear dielectric spectroscopy, outlines its history, and provides insight into the present state of the art of the experimental technology and understanding of nonlinear dielectric effects. Emphasis is on what can be learned from nonlinear experiments that could not be derived from the linear counterparts. The book explains that nonlinear dielectric spectroscopy can be used as a tool to measure structural recovery or physical aging, as well as connections between dynamics and thermodynamic variables such as enthalpy and entropy. Supercooled liquids in their viscous regime are ideal candidates for investigating nonlinear effects, because they are particularly sensitive to changes in temperature, and thus also to changes in the electric field. Other interesting materials covered are plastic crystals and complex liquids near criticality. The book also points out that, compared with other techniques such as mechanical shear experiments, the nonlinear regime of dielectric spectroscopy is special in the sense that the energies involved always remain small compared with thermal energies. To demonstrate this, nonlinear features of mechanical experiments are discussed. Theoretical approaches to nonlinear effects are particularly complicated because the tools available for the linear regime no longer apply. As a result, there is no single generally accepted theory to nonlinear dielectric responses of real liquids. Various approaches to nonlinear dielectric features have been reported, and the different aspects are communicated in several chapters. The book communicates recent progress most effectively through individual contributions from specialists in their respective fields.Chapter 'Third and Fifth Harmonic Responses in Viscous Liquids' is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

This book covers virtually all aspects of semiconductor nanowires, from growth to related applications, in detail. First, it addresses nanowires' growth mechanism, one of the most important topics at the forefront of nanowire research. The focus then shifts to surface functionalization: nanowires have a high surface-to-volume ratio and thus are well-suited to surface modification, which effectively functionalizes them. The book also discusses the latest advances in the study of impurity doping, a crucial process in nanowires. In addition, considerable attention is paid to characterization techniques such as nanoscale and in situ methods, which are indispensable for understanding the novel properties of nanowires. Theoretical calculations are also essential to understanding nanowires' characteristics, particularly those that derive directly from their special nature as one-dimensional nanoscale structures. In closing, the book considers future applications of nanowire structures in devices such as FETs and lasers.

For those wanting to become rapidly aquainted with specific areas of NMR, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance provides an unrivalled scope of coverage. Seasoned practitioners of NMR will find this an invaluable source of current methods and applications.

As a spectroscopic method, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has seen spectacular growth, both as a technique and in its applications. Today's applications of NMR span a wide range of scientific disciplines, from physics to biology to medicine. Each volume of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance comprises a combination of annual and biennial reports which together provide comprehensive coverage of the literature on this topic. This Specialist Periodical Report reflects the growing volume of published work involving NMR techniques and applications, in particular NMR of natural macromolecules, which is covered in two reports: NMR of Proteins and Nucleic Acids and NMR of Carbohydrates, Lipids and Membranes.

This book presents not only the simultaneous combination of optical methods based on holographic principles for marker-free imaging, real-time trapping, identification and tracking of micro objects, but also the application of substantial low coherent light sources and non-diffractive beams. It first provides an overview of digital holographic microscopy (DHM) and holographic optical tweezers as well as non-diffracting beam types for minimal-invasive, real-time and marker-free imaging as well as manipulation of micro and nano objects. It then investigates the design concepts for the optical layout of holographic optical tweezers (HOTs) and their optimization using optical simulations and experimental methods. In a further part, the book characterizes the corresponding system modules that allow the addition of HOTs to commercial microscopes with regard to stability and diffraction efficiency. Further, based on experiments and microfluidic applications, it demonstrates the functionality of the combined setup, and discusses several types of non-diffracting beams and their application in optical manipulation. The book shows that holographic optical tweezers, including several non-diffracting beam types like Mathieu beams, combined parabolic and Airy beams, not only open up the possibility of generating efficient multiple dynamic traps for micro and nano particles with forces in the pico and nano newton range, but also the opportunity to exert optical torque with special beams like Bessel beams, which can facilitate the movement and rotation of particles by generating microfluidic flows. The last part discusses the potential use of a slightly modified DHM-HOT-system to explore the functionality of direct laser writing based on a two photon absorption process in a negative photoresist with a continuous wave laser

This thesis experimentally demonstrates the much discussed electronic charge-glass states in solids. It focuses on quasi-two-dimensional organic conductors of the -(BEDT-TTF)2X family, which form anisotropic triangular lattices, and examines their electronic properties using various measurements: resistivity, time-resolved electric transport, X-ray diffraction analysis, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The hallmark of the charge glass caused by geometrical frustration of lattice structure for those materials is successfully observed for the first time. The thesis provides new insights into the exotic properties of matter driven by strong electron correlations and crystalline frustration. The introduction enables beginners to understand fundamentals of the charge-glass states and the organic-conductor family -(BEDT-TTF)2X. The comprehensive and detailed descriptions of the experimental demonstration make this a valuable resource.

This book presents various examples of how advanced fluorescence and spectroscopic analytical methods can be used in combination with computer data processing to address different biochemical questions. The main focus is on evolutionary biochemistry and the description of biochemical and metabolic issues; specifically, the use of pulse amplitude modulated fluorescence (PAM) for the functional analysis of the cellular state, as well as results obtained by means of the derivative spectroscopy method characterizing structural reorganization of a cell under the influence of external factors, are discussed. The topics presented here will be of interest to biologists, geneticists, biophysicists and biochemists, as well as experts in analytical chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry and radio chemistry and radio activation studies with protonen and alpha-particles. It also offers a valuable resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in biological, physical and chemical disciplines whose work involves derivative spectrophotometry and PAM-fluorescence.