Biomedical Applications of Polymeric Materials and Composites

A comprehensive and up-to-date encyclopedia to the fabrication, nature, properties, uses, and history of glass   The Encyclopedia of Glass Science, Technology, History, and Culture has been designed to satisfy the needs and curiosity of a broad audience interested in the most varied aspects of material that is as old as the universe. As described in over 100 chapters and illustrated with 1100 figures, the practical importance of glass has increased over the ages since it was first man-made four millennia ago. The old-age glass vessels and window and stained glass now coexist with new high-tech products that include for example optical fibers, thin films, metallic, bioactive and hybrid organic-inorganic glasses, amorphous ices or all-solid-state batteries.  In the form of scholarly introductions, the Encyclopedia chapters have been written by 151 noted experts working in 23 countries. They present at a consistent level and in a self-consistent manner these industrial, technological, scientific, historical and cultural aspects. Addressing the most recent fundamental advances in glass science and technology, as well as rapidly developing topics such as extra-terrestrial or biogenic glasses, this important guide: Begins with industrial glassmaking Turns to glass structure and to physical, transport and chemical properties Deals with interactions with light, inorganic glass families and organically related glasses Considers a variety of environmental and energy issues And concludes with a long section on the history of glass as a material from Prehistory to modern glass science The Encyclopedia of Glass Science, Technology, History, and Culture has been written not only for glass scientists and engineers in academia and industry, but also for material scientists as well as for art and industry historians. It represents a must-have, comprehensive guide to the myriad aspects this truly outstanding state of matter.

Photocatalytic water splitting is a promising strategy for capturing energy from the sun by coupling light harvesting and the oxidation of water, in order to create clean hydrogen fuel. Thus a deep knowledge of the water oxidation catalysis field is essential to be able to come up with useful energy conversion devices based on sunlight and water splitting. Molecular Water Oxidation Catalysis: A Key Topic for New Sustainable Energy Conversion Schemes presents a comprehensive and state-of-the-art overview of water oxidation catalysis in homogeneous phase, describing in detail the most important catalysts discovered today based on first and second row transition metals. A strong emphasis is placed on the description of their performance, as well as how they work from a mechanistic perspective. In addition, a theoretical description of some of the most relevant catalysts based on DFT are presented, as well as a description of related natural systems, such as the oxygen evolving system of photosystem II and the heme chlorite-dismutase. This book is a valuable resource for researchers working on water oxidation catalysis, solar energy conversion and artificial photosynthesis, as well as for chemists and materials scientists with a broad interest in new sustainable energy conversion schemes.

Recent advances into the wear of advanced materials In general, wear is currently defined as “the progressive loss of material from the operating surface of a body occurring as a result of relative motion at the surface”. It is related to surface interactions and more specifically to the form of contact due to relative motion. Wear is rarely catastrophic but does reduce the operating efficiency of machine components and structures. At this time of economic crisis, this is a very important field of study because of the huge impact the wear of materials has on the economy. The purpose of this book is to present a collection of examples illustrating the state of the art and research developments into the wear of advanced materials in several applications. It can be used as a research book for a final undergraduate engineering course (for example into materials, mechanics, etc.) or as the focus of the effect of wear on advanced materials at a postgraduate level. It can also serve as a useful reference for academics, biomaterials researchers, mechanical and materials engineers, and professionals in related spheres working with tribology and advanced materials.

This book is based on the 13 review articles written by subject experts and published in 2014 in the Journal Reviews of Adhesion and Adhesives. The rationale for publication of this book is that currently the RAA has limited circulation, so this book provides broad exposure and dissemination of the concise, critical, illuminating, and thought-provoking review articles. The subjects of the reviews fall into 4 general areas: 1. Polymer surface modification 2. Biomedical, pharmaceutical and dental fields 3. Adhesives and adhesive joints 4. General Adhesion Aspects The topics covered include: Adhesion of condensed bodies at microscale; imparting adhesion property to silicone material; functionally graded adhesively bonded joints; synthetic adhesives for wood panels; adhesion theories in wood adhesive bonding; adhesion and surface issues in biocomposites and bionanocomposites; adhesion phenomena in pharmaceutical products and applications of AFM; cyanoacrylate adhesives in surgical applications; ways to generate monosort functionalized polyolefin surfaces; nano-enhanced adhesives; bonding dissimilar materials in dentistry; flame treatment of polymeric materials—relevance to adhesion; and mucoadhesive polymers for enhancing retention of ocular drug delivery.