In this comprehensive yet compact monograph, Michel W. Barsoum, one of the pioneers in the field and the leading figure in MAX phase research, summarizes and explains, from both an experimental and a theoretical viewpoint, all the features that are necessary to understand and apply these new materials. The book covers elastic, electrical, thermal, chemical and mechanical properties in different temperature regimes. By bringing together, in a unifi ed, self-contained manner, all the information on MAX phases hitherto only found scattered in the journal literature, this one-stop resource offers researchers and developers alike an insight into these fascinating materials.

MAX Phase Materials are uniquely structured carbide and nitride materials which combine the rigidity, oxidation-resistance and high-temperature strength of ceramic materials with such metallic properties as good machinability, thermal-shock resistance, damage-tolerance and good transport properties. Potential applications include microelectronic layers, coatings for electrical contacts, thermal shock-resistant refractories, high-temperature heating elements, neutron-irradiation resistant nuclear applications, thermal barriers, protective aerospace coatings, and bio-compatible materials. The book reviews theoretical and experimental research up to early 2021 and references 185 original resources with their direct web links for in-depth reading. Keywords: MAX Phase Materials, Rigidity, High-Temperature Strength, Machinability, Microelectronic Layers, Electrical Contact Coatings, Thermal-Shock Resistance, Heating Elements, Neutron-Irradiation Resistant Materials, Thermal Barriers, Bio-compatible Materials.

"This book investigates a new class of ultra-durable ceramic materials, which exhibit characteristics of both ceramics and metals, and will explore recent advances in the manufacturing of ceramic materials that improve their durability and other physical properties, enhancing their overall usability and cost-effectiveness"--

This book describes the rapidly expanding field of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes). It covers fundamental knowledge on synthesis, structure, and properties of these new materials, and a description of their processing, scale-up and emerging applications. The ways in which the quickly expanding family of MXenes can outperform other novel nanomaterials in a variety of applications, spanning from energy storage and conversion to electronics; from water science to transportation; and in defense and medical applications, are discussed in detail.

Updated and improved, this revised edition of Michel Barsoum's classic text Fundamentals of Ceramics presents readers with an exceptionally clear and comprehensive introduction to ceramic science. Barsoum offers introductory coverage of ceramics, their structures, and properties, with a distinct emphasis on solid state physics and chemistry. Key equations are derived from first principles to ensure a thorough understanding of the concepts involved. The book divides naturally into two parts. Chapters 1 to 9 consider bonding in ceramics and their resultant physical structures, and the electrical, thermal, and other properties that are dependent on bonding type. The second part (Chapters 11 to 16) deals with those factors that are determined by microstructure, such as fracture and fatigue, and thermal, dielectric, magnetic, and optical properties. Linking the two sections is Chapter 10, which describes sintering, grain growth, and the development of microstructure. Fundamentals of Ceramics is ideally suited to senior undergraduate and graduate students of materials science and engineering and related subjects.

Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on `Tailoring of High Temperature Properties of Si3N4 Ceramics', Schloß Ringberg/Munich, Germany, October 6--9, 1993

Density functional theory (DFT) has blossomed in the past few decades into a powerful tool that is used by experimentalists and theoreticians alike. This book highlights the extensive contributions that the DFT-based OLCAO method has made to progress in this field, and it demonstrates its competitiveness for performing ab initio calculations on large and complex models of practical systems. A brief historical account and introduction to the elements of the theory set the stage for discussions on semiconductors, insulators, crystalline metals and alloys, complex crystals, non-crystalline solids and liquids, microstructure containing systems and those containing impurities, defects, and surfaces, biomolecular systems, and the technique of ab initio core level spectroscopy calculation.