Chemical Bonding in Solids examines how atoms in solids are bound together and how this determines the structure and properties of materials. Over the years, diverse concepts have come from many areas of chemistry, physics, and materials science, but often these ideas have remained largely within the area where they originated. One of the goals of this text is to bring some of these ideas together and show how a broader picture exists once some of the prejudices which isolate one area from another are removed. This book will be ideal for students taking courses in solid state chemistry, materials chemistry, and solid state physics.

This text was developed from a course for physical chemistry and chemical physics students using cross-polarization (CP) magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR in their laboratory assignments. The book provides students with the details of the CP/MAS experiment as it is used to obtain rare-spin, high-resolution NMR spectra. The design of the CP/MAS experiments and the interpretation of spectra and relaxation measurements require an understanding of the interplay of several fundamental physical interactions not normally encountered in solution NMR. The student can observe the way interacting spin systems behave in the solid state, and have a quantum mechanically rigorous understanding of solid-state spin phenomena. The text will have the added benefit of serving as a self-study resource for students seeking to learn the underlying principles of laboratory experiments using the technique. The history of NMR is also treated, and the instrumentation of the spectrometer and probe are discussed.

The structure of much of solid-state theory comes directly from group theory, but until now there has been no elementary introduction to the band theory of solids which adopts this approach. This book provides such an introduction, employing only the simplest and most basic of group theoretical ideas, and emphasizing the significance of symmetry in determining many of the essential concepts used in the subject. Given the extensive training of chemists in applying group theory, there is no quicker entry into the subject than by means of the approach used in this book. Many topics were chosen with the needs of chemists in mind, and many of the examples have a chemical flavour. Numerous problems are included which enable the reader to apply the major ideas and to complete some parts of the treatment. Chemists will find this a valuable introduction to band theory, and the book will also appeal to all physical scientists who would like to go a little beyond the elementary treatments so far available.

There is great interest in converting electricity overcapacity e.g. from renewables; from fuels such as hydrogen and synthetic gasoline; or for the conversion of nitrogen to ammonia. Solid oxide electrolysis offers a high efficiency route to these conversions utilising technology similar to solid oxide fuel cells. However, there are significant differences between electrolysis and fuel cell operation, and the fundamental aspects of electrolysis have received little attention. This Faraday Discussion brings together the research of leading scientists to address the fundamental aspects of solid oxide electrolysis. Research in this field could yield a new clean chemical industry, potentially allowing greater harvesting of renewables by storing excess energy in a more useful and higher energy density form than electricity.

The MRS Symposium Proceeding series is an internationally recognised reference suitable for researchers and practitioners.