Metal Matrix Composites (MMC's) have found an increased use in various industries due to their special mechanical and physical properties. They are a composite material with at least two constituent parts, one being a metal and are made by dispersing a reinforcing material into a metal matrix. The markets are: telecommunications, automotive, power semiconductor, opto-electronics, military and aerospace, heavy transportation, space systems and satellites, medical, and industrial lighting. Applications within these markets include microwave, micro-electronic packaging, laser diode, HB-LED's, and advanced radar.

Digital libraries are libraries in which collections are stored in digital formats (as opposed to print, microform, or other media) and accessible by computers. Multimedia Storage and Retrieval Innovations for Digital Library Systems offers the latest research on retrieval and storage methods for digital library systems, a burgeoning field of data sourcing. In order to stay abreast of the latest terminology, case studies, frameworks, architectures, methodologies, and research within the field of digital libraries, it is crucial to keep up with the latest literature. The information in this compendium comes from contributing authors and experts around the world, making it a one of a kind addition to any research library.

Corruption and Anti-Corruption in Modern China collects essays from the scholars in their fields and examines the ongoing corruption in China by addressing this important topic from a historical perspective through a cooperative interdisciplinary research effort among Chinese-American scholars interested in the subject. Their scholarship makes a significant contribution through multi-faceted components from different fields such as history, economics, political science, criminal justice, and popular culture. The authors introduce and explore the theory and practice of policy patterns, political systems, and social institutions by identifying key issues in Chinese government and society contained within the larger framework of the international sphere. This book describes a historical transition when the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) maintained its forceful control of cities while the middle class reluctantly sacrificed its rights in exchange for retaining their economic benefits. To survive market economy, the party leadership became more flexible and was able to adapt to economic and social change. The CCP governments in our research responded to the rising demands and expectations of the society. They were willing and able to cope with the middle class by making a few compromises and following certain legal procedures in exchange for continuing political support. These practical comprises characterized a new political culture in PRC history since 1949. The book voices the complaints and resentments in the cities, and interprets government policies and legal practices. It emphasizes the consequence for governance, human rights, and commercial rule of law, all of which threatens the legitimacy of the CCP. It also suggests an important evolution of the CCP. The reform movement since the 1980s has not yet contributed significantly to the country's democratic transformation or to its social stability. The leaders in the 1990s focused on liberal economic reform while discouraging and even stifling political reform. As a result, economic interest groups successfully established an alliance with CCP officials to control economic policy-making and to share political governance. In the 2010s, Chinese leaders have paid special attention to political scandals, corruption, and mismanagement in the government and in the Party.

Hierarchical Micro/Nanostructured Materials: Fabrication, Properties, and Applications presents the latest fabrication, properties, and applications of hierarchical micro/nanostructured materials in two sections-powders and arrays. After a general introduction to hierarchical micro/nanostructured materials, the first section begins with a detailed discussion of the methods of mass production for hierarchical micro/nanostructured powders, including structure-directed solvothermal routes, template-etching strategies, and electrospinning technologies. It then proceeds to address structurally enhanced adsorption and photocatalytic performances. The second section describes strategies for the fabrication of hierarchical micro/nanostructured object arrays and their devices, such as modified colloidal lithographies-based solution and electrodeposition. It also examines the structure-dependent properties and performances of the micro/nanostructured arrays, including surface wettability, optical properties, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effects, and gas-sensing performances. In its cutting-edge coverage, Hierarchical Micro/Nanostructured Materials: Fabrication, Properties, and Applications explores the use of hierarchical micro/nanostructured materials in environmental remediation and detection devices, commenting on future trends and applications in catalysis, integrated nanophotonics, optical devices, super-high density storage media, sensors, nanobiotechnology, SERS substrates, and more.

Hierarchical Micro/Nanostructured Materials: Fabrication, Properties, and Applications presents the latest fabrication, properties, and applications of hierarchical micro/nanostructured materials in two sections powders and arrays.

After a general introduction to hierarchical micro/nanostructured materials, the first section begins with a detailed discussion of the methods of mass production for hierarchical micro/nanostructured powders, including structure-directed solvothermal routes, template-etching strategies, and electrospinning technologies. It then proceeds to address structurally enhanced adsorption and photocatalytic performances.

The second section describes strategies for the fabrication of hierarchical micro/nanostructured object arrays and their devices, such as modified colloidal lithographies-based solution and electrodeposition. It also examines the structure-dependent properties and performances of the micro/nanostructured arrays, including surface wettability, optical properties, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effects, and gas-sensing performances.

In its cutting-edge coverage, Hierarchical Micro/Nanostructured Materials: Fabrication, Properties, and Applications explores the use of hierarchical micro/nanostructured materials in environmental remediation and detection devices, commenting on future trends and applications in catalysis, integrated nanophotonics, optical devices, super-high density storage media, sensors, nanobiotechnology, SERS substrates, and more."

This Element introduces the exotic wave phenomena arising from the extremely small optical refractive index, and sheds light on the underlying mechanisms, with a primary focus on the basic concepts and fundamental wave physics. The authors reveal the exciting applications of ENZ metamaterials, which have profound impacts over a wide range of fields of science and technology. The sections are organized as follows: in Section 2, the authors demonstrate the extraordinary wave properties in ENZ metamaterials, analyzing the unique wave dynamics and the resulting effects. Section 3 is dedicated to introducing various realization methods of the ENZ metamaterials with periodic and non-periodic styles. The applications of ENZ metamaterials are discussed in Sections 4 and 5, from the perspectives of microwave engineering, optics, and quantum physics. The authors close in Section 6 by presenting an outlook on the development of ENZ metamaterials and discussing the key challenges addressed in future works.

Institutional weaknesses limit the capacity of local governments to support efficient urbanization in developing countries. They also lead to the emergence of large developers with the clout to build entire cities. This paper analyzes the urbanization process when local governments are weak and large developers are powerful. Results from a non-cooperative game setting with minimal assumptions show that multiple equilibria can emerge depending on key institutional parameters of the model and the nature of the game, but all of them are inefficient. In this simple setting, increasing the capacity of the local government may not lead to better outcomes, because it may crowd out urban land development by the more effective private investor. Subsidizing the large investor can ensure efficiency, but it makes the rest of society worse off. Selling the rights to the city can be Pareto efficient, but only provided that the price at which the rights are sold are sufficiently high. However, more analytical and empirical work is needed before these analyses can be deemed relevant in practice. Competition among jurisdictions, time consistency challenges, and the social implications of private cities deserve special attention.