More than seventeen years have passed now since Glauco Gottardi and Ermano Galli 1 have published their remarkable book on "NATURAL ZEOLITES" where properties and features of naturally occuring phases then available have been compiled. Several new natural zeolites have been found since then, but also natural counterparts ofzeolites which have only been known as synthesis products. The natural formation conditions of zeolites could only be deduced and estimated from their geological environment at the time when NATURAL ZEOLITES has been published, as zeolite synthesis was mainly focused on procedures at low pressures such as those introduced by Barrer and co workers'. Natural zeolites, however, had only been obtained "occasionally" and systematic study to reconstruct these formation conditions has not been performed ever since. This book is focused on the synthesis of natural zeolites by simulating the natural synthesis conditions in the laboratory which are essentially different in means and results from those obtained by conventional synthesis methods. Although the synthesis in the laboratory has undoubtly a great number of advantages over nature such as the employment of proper precursors or the choice of pressure and temperature in a wide range, the synthesis time is very limited in respect to natural conditions: synthesis times ofyears or even tens ofyears which would be necessary to obtain synthesis results for some zeolites- e.g. at 4 DegreesC (deep sea conditions) are rather unrealistic.

Nanocomposites have been receiving more and more attention given the improvement of synthesis techniques and the availability of powerful characterization techniques. The aim of the book is to introduce nanocomposite materials using a broad range of inorganic and organic solids. Furthermore, it is intended to present recent and not very common developments in especially spectroscopic characterization techniques, including Mossbauer, EXAFS, NMR. This should make the book attractive for a broad range of readers, including chemists and physicists."

Nanocomposites have been receiving more and more attention given the improvement of synthesis techniques and the availability of powerful characterization techniques. The aim of the book is to introduce nanocomposite materials using a broad range of inorganic and organic solids. It also presents recent and not very common developments in especially spectroscopic characterization techniques, including M ssbauer, EXAFS, NMR. This should make the book attractive for a broad range of readers, including chemists and physicists.

In the framework of the rapid development of nanoscience and nanotechnology, the domain of nanostructured materials is attracting more and more researchers, both academic and industrial. Synthesis methods are a major prerequisite for achievement in this rapidly evolving field. Nanostructured Materials: Selected Synthesis Methods, Properties and Applications presents several important recent advances in synthesis methods for nanostructured materials and processing of nano-objects into macroscopic samples, such as nanocrystalline ceramics. This book will not cover the whole spectrum of possible synthesis techniques, which would be limitless, but it presents especially interesting highlights in the domains of research of the editors.

Subjects that are covered include the following:
*"chimie douce" approaches for preparation of a large variety of nanostructured materials, including metals, alloys, semiconductors and oxides;
*hydrothermal synthesis with water as solvent and reaction medium can be specifically adapted to nanostructured materials;
*"electrospraying" as a powerful new route for the preparation of nanoparticles, especially of oxides for electroceramics;
*nanoparticles processed into nanostructured ceramics, by using dynamic compaction techniques;
*applications of nanostructured materials.

This book complements the previous volume in this series (P. Knauth, J. Schoonman, eds., Nanocrystalline Metals and Oxides: Selected Properties and Applications, Kluwer, Boston, 2002).

Nanostructured materials have at least one dimension in the nanometer range. They became a very active research area in solid state physics and chemistry in recent years with anticipated applications in various domains, including solar cells, electronics, batteries and sensors.

Nanocrystalline metals and oxides are dense polycrystalline solids with a mean grain size below 100 nm. This book is intended to give an overview on selected properties and applications of nanocrystalline metals and oxides by leading experts in the field. The first three chapters provide a very complete theoretical treatment of thermodynamics and atom/ion transport for nanocrystalline materials. The following chapters are experts' views on the development of experimental characterization techniques for nanocrystalline solids with emphasis on electroceramic materials.

Nanocrystalline Metals and Oxides is intended for a broad range of readers, foremost chemists, physicists and materials scientists. Theoretical physicists and chemists will certainly also profit from this book. The electroceramics and solid state ionics community are particularly addressed, given the main interests of the editors.

Zeolites have unusual properties and as a result they are some of the most interesting inorganic materials known today. In contrast to conventional nanomaterials, zeolites exhibit a long-term stable inner void system on the nanometer scale and their properties are almost independent from the crystal size. This volume summarizes the known properties of natural zeolites and, importantly, shows how they can be synthesized by simulating the conditions of natural formation. Systematically, a direct correlation between the glassy precursor composition and that of the zeolite product is established. The zeolite crystal morphology obtained at given synthesis conditions allows direct conclusions on the conditions of formation in nature. This book is a valuable practical guide and tool for solid-state chemists, physicists, mineralogists and engineers.

This book combines the proceedings of Symposium EE, Solid-State Ionics, and Symposium FF, Materials for Fuel Cells and Fuel Processors, both from the 2002 MRS Fall Meeting in Boston. Current developments in solid-state ionics, and advances in the domains of energy storage and conversion and environmental monitoring, are featured. The largest clusters of papers are devoted to lithium batteries and fuel cell technology. It reflects the dominating relevance of these applications for fostering the modern telecommunications and information society and the development of environmentally friendly electric transportation and energy transformation systems, replacing traditional combustion technology. Topics include: theory/inorganic ion conductors; oxide electroceramics for separation membranes and gas sensors; cathode materials for lithium batteries; anode materials for lithium batteries and polymer electrolytes; proton exchange membrane fuel cells; and solid oxide fuel cells.

Nanostructured Materials: Selected Synthesis Methods, Properties and Applications presents several important recent advances in synthesis methods for nanostructured materials and processing of nano-objects into macroscopic samples, such as nanocrystalline ceramics. This book will not cover the whole spectrum of possible synthesis techniques, which would be limitless, but it presents especially interesting highlights in the domains of research of the editors.

Subjects that are covered include the following:
*"chimie douce" approaches for preparation of a large variety of nanostructured materials, including metals, alloys, semiconductors and oxides;
*hydrothermal synthesis with water as solvent and reaction medium can be specifically adapted to nanostructured materials;
*"electrospraying" as a powerful new route for the preparation of nanoparticles, especially of oxides for electroceramics;
*nanoparticles processed into nanostructured ceramics, by using dynamic compaction techniques;
*applications of nanostructured materials.

This book complements the previous volume in this series (P. Knauth, J. Schoonman, eds., Nanocrystalline Metals and Oxides: Selected Properties and Applications, Kluwer, Boston, 2002).