Nanocomposite materials are formed by mixing two or more dissimilar materials
at the nanoscale in order to control and develop new and improved structures
and properties. The properties of nanocomposites depend not only upon the individual
components used but also upon the morphology and the interfacial characteristics.
Nanocomposite coatings and materials are among the most exciting and fastest-growing
areas of research; with new materials being continually developed which often
exhibit novel properties that are absent in the constituent materials. Nanocomposite
materials and coatings therefore offer enormous potential for new applications
including: aerospace, automotive, electronics, biomedical implants, non-linear
optics, mechanically reinforced lightweight materials, sensors, nano-wires,
batteries, bioceramics, energy conversion and many others.
This exciting new book comprises 9 chapters; each written in an easily understandable
style by international experts and in a format suitable for students (undergraduate
or post-graduate), technologists and experts seeking to expand their knowledge
in the area of nanocomposite materials and coatings. Although an elementary
knowledge of materials is assumed throughout, there is a comprehensive introduction
to each chapter which covers the most important references, details of the experimental
methods and techniques used, and a description of the latest research work.
Four comprehensive chapters cover the design, synthesis and applications of
nanocomposite coatings. Past developments in nanocomposites were hindered by
a lack of available characterisation techniques for probing materials at the
nanoscale. A complete chapter is therefore dedicated to the latest characterisation
techniques available for investigating nanocomposite coatings and nanocomposite
materials. Organic/inorganic nanocomposite materials have a vast potential for
fulfilling many new applications and, by engineering the polymers-host interactions,
nanocomposites having a broad range of properties can be produced. The synthesis
and the applications of hybrid organic-inorganic nanostructured materials are
described in a particularly comprehensive chapter. Novel routes are being developed
in order to synthesise three-dimensional nanocomposites. Hence, three chapters
are devoted to nanowires, reinforced nanocomposites and hierarchical nanocomposites.
The information contained in this book will serve both as an educational aid
and as a guide to anyone involved with nanocomposites from the viewpoint of
materials science, physics, chemistry, biology or medical engineering.
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/bfbeae/nanocomposite_coat
Posted September 2nd, 2009
