Nanostructured films and coatings possess unique properties due to both size and interface effects. They find many applications in areas such as electronics, catalysis, protection, data storage, optics and sensors. The focus of the present book is on synthesis and processing; advanced characterization techniques; properties (including mechanical, chemical, electronic, thermal, catalytic, and magnetic); modelling of interlayer and intralayer interfaces; and applications.

The need for batteries has grown exponentially in response to the increase in global energy demand and to the ambitious goals that governments have set up for sustainable energy development worldwide, especially in developed countries. While lithium-ion batteries currently dominate the energy storage market, the limited and unevenly distributed lithium resources have caused huge concerns over the sustainability of the lithium-ion battery technology. Sodium-ion batteries have significant benefits over lithium-ion batteries, including sodium’s abundance in the Earth’s crust. These batteries have therefore gained research interest, and efforts are being made to use them in place of lithium-ion batteries. While the past decade has witnessed significant research advances and breakthroughs in developing the sodium-ion battery technology, there still remain fundamental challenges that must be overcome to push the technology forward. This book comprises 13 chapters that discuss the fundamental challenges, electrode materials, electrolytes, separators, advanced instrumental analysis techniques, and computational methods for sodium-ion batteries from renowned scientists. The book is a unique combination of all aspects associated with sodium-ion batteries and can therefore be used as a handbook.

Special topic volume with invited peer reviewed papers only

Nowadays, nanomaterials are attracting huge attentions not only from a basic research point of view but also for their potential applications. Since finding the structure-property-processing relationships can open new windows in the application of materials, the material characterizations play a crucial role in the research and development of materials science. The increasing demand for energy with the necessity to find alternative renewable and sustainable energy sources leads to the rapid growth in attention to energy materials. In this book, the results of some outstanding researches on synchrotron-based characterization of nanostructured materials related to energy applications are presented.

A state-of-the-art reference, Metal Nanoparticles offers the latest research on the synthesis, characterization, and applications of nanoparticles. Following an introduction of structural, optical, electronic, and electrochemical properties of nanoparticles, the book elaborates on nanoclusters, hyper-Raleigh scattering, nanoarrays, and several applications including single electron devices, chemical sensors, biomolecule sensors, and DNA detection. The text emphasizes how size, shape, and surface chemistry affect particle performance throughout. Topics include synthesis and formation of nanoclusters, nanosphere lithography, modeling of nanoparticle optical properties, and biomolecule sensors.