Polly is an unextraordinary girl who is one day called upon to save the land of Settingston from the evil Queen Antonia. Accompanied by Mortimer the Metaphor Wizard and his valiant dog Simile, Polly must use the power of figurative language to succeed in her quest. A whimsical and vibrantly illustrated adventure that educates its readers about literary devices. Suitable for anyone comfortable with chapter books.

Direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs), such as methanol and ethanol ones, are very promising advanced power systems that may considerably reduce dependence on fossil fuels and are, therefore, attracting increased attention worldwide. Nanostructured materials can improve the performance of the cathodes, anodes, and electrolytes of DAFCs. This book focuses on the most recent advances in the science and technology of nanostructured materials for direct alcohol fuel cells, including novel non-noble or low noble metal catalysts deposited on the graphene layer and metal-free doped carbon black for oxygen electroreduction reaction, Sn-based bimetallic and trimetallic nanoparticles for alcohol electro-oxidation reaction, and novel nanomaterials for promoting proton transfer in electrolytes. In addition, the book includes chapters from not only experimentalists but also computational chemists who have worked in the development of advanced power systems for decades. Illustrated throughout with excellent figures, this multidisciplinary work is not just a reference for researchers in chemistry and materials science, but a handy textbook for advanced undergraduate- and graduate-level students in nanoscience- and nanotechnology-related courses, especially those with an interest in developing novel materials for advanced power systems.

This invaluable book focuses on the mechanisms of formation of a solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) on the electrode surfaces of lithium-ion batteries. The SEI film is due to electrochemical reduction of species present in the electrolyte. It is widely recognized that the presence of the film plays an essential role in the battery performance, and its very nature can determine an extended (or shorter) life for the battery. In spite of the numerous related research efforts, details on the stability of the SEI composition and its influence on the battery capacity are still controversial. This book carefully analyzes and discusses the most recent findings and advances on this topic.