This book provides a state-of-the-art collection of recent papers on interfaces in heterogeneous ceramic systems presented at the 6th Pacific Rim Conference on Ceramic and Glass Technology (PacRim 6) in September of 2005 in Maui, Hawaii. The book is logically divided into 5 sections on interfaces, including theory and modeling, wetting phenomena, heterogeneous interfaces in high-temperature superconductors, bio-interfaces, and new developments in instrumentation that aid in the characterization of interfaces.

The 17th University Conference on Ceramics, which also was the 7th LBL/MMRD International Materials Symposium, was held on the campus of the University of California at Berkeley from July 28 to August 1, 1980. It was devoted to the subject of surfaces and interfaces in ceramic and ceramic-metal systems. The program was timely and of great interest, as indicated by the large number of contributed papers, which included contributions from ten foreign countries. These proceedings are divided into the following categories dealing with the chemistry and physics of interfaces: calculations of interface/surface states, characterization of surfaces and inter faces, thermodynamics of interfaces, influence of surface and inter faces on selected ceramic processes, grain boundary structures, effects of grain boundaries on deformation and fracture, interfacial phenomena, formation of interfaces, development of adhesion, and reactions at interfaces. A number of papers deal specifically with the Si-Si02 interface, which probably has received more attention than any other because of its importance in the electronics industry. This coverage fulfills the principal objective of the symposium which was to explore and assess the current fundamental understand ing of interfaces and surfaces. A parallel objective of the symposium was fulfilled by a group of papers dealing with the correlation of interfacial characteris tics with mechanical behavior. This group includes papers dealing with the adherence of dissimilar materials at interfaces.

The 17th University Conference on Ceramics, which also was the 7th LBL/MMRD International Materials Symposium, was held on the campus of the University of California at Berkeley from July 28 to August 1, 1980. It was devoted to the subject of surfaces and interfaces in ceramic and ceramic-metal systems. The program was timely and of great interest, as indicated by the large number of contributed papers, which included contributions from ten foreign countries. These proceedings are divided into the following categories dealing with the chemistry and physics of interfaces: calculations of interface/surface states, characterization of surfaces and inter faces, thermodynamics of interfaces, influence of surface and inter faces on selected ceramic processes, grain boundary structures, effects of grain boundaries on deformation and fracture, interfacial phenomena, formation of interfaces, development of adhesion, and reactions at interfaces. A number of papers deal specifically with the Si-Si02 interface, which probably has received more attention than any other because of its importance in the electronics industry. This coverage fulfills the principal objective of the symposium which was to explore and assess the current fundamental understand ing of interfaces and surfaces. A parallel objective of the symposium was fulfilled by a group of papers dealing with the correlation of interfacial characteris tics with mechanical behavior. This group includes papers dealing with the adherence of dissimilar materials at interfaces.

This collection of papers arose from the Proceedings of the International Workshop on Interfaces of Ceramic Materials held in Australia, 1993 and is a continuation of the previous book published under the same title. The objective of the Workshop was to discuss research progress on the chemistry of ceramic interfaces and related industrial aspects. Due to the multidisciplinary character of ceramic interfaces the book contains articles covering several areas of expertise, including ceramics, surface science, solid state electrochemistry, metallurgy and high temperature chemistry. Some technical papers are also included in this volume. Scientists and engineers working in these areas, as well as students in materials science and engineering, will find this book of particular significance.

This book contains the proceedings of the NATO Advanced Study Institute on Surfaces and Interfaces of Ceramic Materials, held on the Oleron island, France, in September 1988. This Institute was organized in nine months after receiving the agreement of the NATO Scientific Affairs Division. Despite this very short time, most of the lecturers contacted have accepted our invitation to prepare a specific talk. The meeting was held at "La Vieille Perrotine" on the Oleron island. This holiday village of the French CNRS is located near the Ocean in a natural area which contributed to create a very pleasant atmosphere favourable to develop interaction between the 91 participants in this Institute. First of all, the Institute was aimed at diffusing the foremost results on the characterization of and the role played by surfaces, grain boundaries and interfaces in preparation and overall properties of ceramic materials, mainly of oxide ceramics. Through its interdisciplinary character, the Institute was also aimed at developing interaction between scientists and engineers interested in basic and practical aspects of processing and use of ceramics.