It may be argued that silicon, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and iron are among the most important elements on our planet, because of their involvement in geological, biol- ical, and technological processes and phenomena. All of these elements have been studied exhaustively, and voluminous material is available on their properties. Included in this material are numerous accounts of their electrochemical properties, ranging from reviews to extensive monographs to encyclopedic discourses. This is certainly true for C, H, O, and Fe, but it is true to a much lesser extent for Si, except for the specific topic of semiconductor electrochemistry. Indeed, given the importance of the elect- chemical processing of silicon and the use of silicon in electrochemical devices (e. g. , sensors and photoelectrochemical cells), the lack of a comprehensive account of the electrochemistry of silicon in aqueous solution at the fundamental level is surprising and somewhat troubling. It is troubling in the sense that the non-photoelectrochemistry of silicon seems "to have fallen through the cracks," with the result that some of the electrochemical properties of this element are not as well known as might be warranted by its importance in a modern technological society. Dr. Zhang's book, Electrochemical Properties of Silicon and Its Oxide, will go a long way toward addressing this shortcoming. As with his earlier book on the elect- chemistry of zinc, the present book provides a comprehensive account of the elect- chemistry of silicon in aqueous solution.

Humankind's use of zinc stretches back to antiquity, and it was a component in some of the earliest known alloy systems. Even though metallic zinc was not "discovered" in Europe until 1746 (by Marggral), zinc ores were used for making brass in biblical times, and an 87% zinc alloy was found in prehistoric ruins in Transylvania. Also, zinc (the metal) was produced in quantity in India as far back as the thirteenth century, well before it was recognized as being a separate element. The uses of zinc are manifold, ranging from galvanizing to die castings to electronics. It is a preferred anode material in high-energy-density batteries (e.g., Ni/Zn, Ag/Zn, ZnJair), so that its electrochemistry, particularly in alkaline media, has been extensively explored. In the passive state, zinc is photoelectrochemically active, with the passive film displaying n-type characteristics. For the same reason that zinc is considered to be an excellent battery anode, it has found extensive use as a sacrificial anode for the protection of ships and pipelines from corrosion. Indeed, aside from zinc's well-known attributes as an alloying element, its widespread use is principally due to its electrochemical properties, which include a well-placed position in the galvanic series for protecting iron and steel in natural aqueous environments and its reversible dissolution behavior in alkaline solutions.

Humankind's use of zinc stretches back to antiquity, and it was a component in some of the earliest known alloy systems. Even though metallic zinc was not "discovered" in Europe until 1746 (by Marggral), zinc ores were used for making brass in biblical times, and an 87% zinc alloy was found in prehistoric ruins in Transylvania. Also, zinc (the metal) was produced in quantity in India as far back as the thirteenth century, well before it was recognized as being a separate element. The uses of zinc are manifold, ranging from galvanizing to die castings to electronics. It is a preferred anode material in high-energy-density batteries (e.g., Ni/Zn, Ag/Zn, ZnJair), so that its electrochemistry, particularly in alkaline media, has been extensively explored. In the passive state, zinc is photoelectrochemically active, with the passive film displaying n-type characteristics. For the same reason that zinc is considered to be an excellent battery anode, it has found extensive use as a sacrificial anode for the protection of ships and pipelines from corrosion. Indeed, aside from zinc's well-known attributes as an alloying element, its widespread use is principally due to its electrochemical properties, which include a well-placed position in the galvanic series for protecting iron and steel in natural aqueous environments and its reversible dissolution behavior in alkaline solutions.

It may be argued that silicon, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and iron are among the most important elements on our planet, because of their involvement in geological, biol- ical, and technological processes and phenomena. All of these elements have been studied exhaustively, and voluminous material is available on their properties. Included in this material are numerous accounts of their electrochemical properties, ranging from reviews to extensive monographs to encyclopedic discourses. This is certainly true for C, H, O, and Fe, but it is true to a much lesser extent for Si, except for the specific topic of semiconductor electrochemistry. Indeed, given the importance of the elect- chemical processing of silicon and the use of silicon in electrochemical devices (e. g. , sensors and photoelectrochemical cells), the lack of a comprehensive account of the electrochemistry of silicon in aqueous solution at the fundamental level is surprising and somewhat troubling. It is troubling in the sense that the non-photoelectrochemistry of silicon seems "to have fallen through the cracks," with the result that some of the electrochemical properties of this element are not as well known as might be warranted by its importance in a modern technological society. Dr. Zhang's book, Electrochemical Properties of Silicon and Its Oxide, will go a long way toward addressing this shortcoming. As with his earlier book on the elect- chemistry of zinc, the present book provides a comprehensive account of the elect- chemistry of silicon in aqueous solution.