Until comparatively recently, trace analysis techniques were in general directed toward the determination of impurities in bulk materials. Methods were developed for very high relative sensitivity, and the values determined were average values. Sampling procedures were devised which eliminated the so-called sampling error. However, in the last decade or so, a number of developments have shown that, for many purposes, the distribution of defects within a material can confer important new properties on the material. Perhaps the most striking example of this is given by semiconductors; a whole new industry has emerged in barely twenty years based entirely on the controlled distribu tion of defects within what a few years before would have been regarded as a pure, homogeneous crystal. Other examples exist in biochemistry, metallurgy, polyiners and, of course, catalysis. In addition to this of the importance of distribution, there has also been a recognition growing awareness that physical defects are as important as chemical defects. (We are, of course, using the word defect to imply some dis continuity in the material, and not in any derogatory sense. ) This broadening of the field of interest led the Materials Advisory Board( I} to recommend a new definition for the discipline, "Materials Character ization," to encompass this wider concept of the determination of the structure and composition of materials. In characterizing a material, perhaps the most important special area of interest is the surface.

This fully updated Second Edition provides the reader with the solid understanding of tribology which is essential to engineers involved in the design of, and ensuring the reliability of, machine parts and systems. It moves from basic theory to practice, examining tribology from the integrated viewpoint of mechanical engineering, mechanics, and materials science. It offers detailed coverage of the mechanisms of material wear, friction, and all of the major lubrication techniques - liquids, solids, and gases - and examines a wide range of both traditional and state-of-the-art applications. For this edition, the author has included updates on friction, wear and lubrication, as well as completely revised material including the latest breakthroughs in tribology at the nano- and micro- level and a revised introduction to nanotechnology. Also included is a new chapter on the emerging field of green tribology and biomimetics.

This two-volume book provides an overview of physical techniques used to characterize the structure of solid materials, on the one hand, and to investigate the reactivity of their surface, on the other. Therefore this book is a must-have for anyone working in fields related to surface reactivity. Among the latter, and because of its most important industrial impact, catalysis has been used as the directing thread of the book. After the preface and a general introduction to physical techniques by M. Che and J.C. Vedrine, two overviews on physical techniques are presented by G. Ertl and Sir J.M. Thomas for investigating model catalysts and porous catalysts, respectively. The book is organized into four parts: Molecular/Local Spectroscopies, Macroscopic Techniques, Characterization of the Fluid Phase (Gas and/ or Liquid), and Advanced Characterization. Each chapter focuses upon the following important themes: overview of the technique, most important parameters to interpret the experimental data, practical details, applications of the technique, particularly during chemical processes, with its advantages and disadvantages, conclusions.

The growth of interest in newly developed porous materials has prompted the writing of this book for those who have the need to make meaningful measurements without the benefit of years of experience. One might consider this new book as the 4th edition of "Powder Surface Area and Porosity" (Lowell & Shields), but for this new edition we set out to incorporate recent developments in the understanding of fluids in many types of porous materials, not just powders. Based on this, we felt that it would be prudent to change the title to "Characterization of Porous Solids and Powders: Surface Area, Porosity and Density". This book gives a unique overview of principles associated with the characterization of solids with regard to their surface area, pore size, pore volume and density. It covers methods based on gas adsorption (both physi and chemisorption), mercury porosimetry and pycnometry. Not only are the theoretical and experimental basics of these techniques presented in detail but also, in light of the tremendous progress made in recent years in materials science and nanotechnology, the most recent developments are described. In particular, the application of classical theories and methods for pore size analysis are contrasted with the most advanced microscopic theories based on statistical mechanics (e.g. Density Functional Theory and Molecular Simulation). The characterization of heterogeneous catalysts is more prominent than in earlier editions; the sections on mercury porosimetry and particularly chemisorption have been updated and greatly expanded.

This book emphasises both experimental and theoretical aspects of surface, interface and thin film physics. Compa- red to the earlier editions, which bore the title "Surfaces and Interfaces of Solid Materials", the book now places more emphasis on thin films, including also their superconducting and ferromagnetic properties. The present 4th edition thus presents techniques of preparing well-defined solid surfaces and interfaces, fundamental aspects of adsorption and layer growth, as well as basic models for the descripti- on of structural, vibronic and electronic properties of sur- faces, interfaces and thin films. Because of their importan- ce for modern information technology, significant attention is paid to the electronic properties of semiconductor inter- faces and heterostructures. Collective phenomena , such as superconductivity and ferromagnetism, also feature promi- nently. Experimental sections covering essential measurement and preparation techniques are presented in separate panels.

This guide to the use of surface analysis techniques, now in its second edition, has expanded to include more techniques, current applications and updated references. It outlines the application of surface analysis techniques to a broad range of studies in materials science and engineering. The book consists of three parts: an extensive introduction to the concepts of surface structure and composition, a techniques section describing 19 techniques and a section on applications. This book is aimed at industrial scientists and engineers in research and development. The level and content of this book make it ideal as a course text for senior undergraduate and postgraduate students in materials science, materials engineering, physics, chemistry and metallurgy.

The third volume in a series dedicated to colloids and interfaces, Drops and Bubbles in Contact with Solid Surfaces presents an up-to-date overview of the fundamentals and applications of drops and bubbles and their interaction with solid surfaces. The chapters cover the theoretical and experimental aspects of wetting and wettability, liquid-solid