The Routledge Companion to Puppetry and Material Performance offers a wide-ranging perspective on how scholars and artists are currently re-evaluating the theoretical, historical, and theatrical significance of performance that embraces the agency of inanimate objects. This book proposes a collaborative, responsive model for broader artistic engagement in and with the material world. Its 28 chapters aim to advance the study of the puppet not only as a theatrical object but also as a vibrant artistic and scholarly discipline. This Companion looks at puppetry and material performance from six perspectives: theoretical approaches to the puppet, perspectives from practitioners, revisiting history, negotiating tradition, material performances in contemporary theatre, and hybrid forms. Its wide range of topics, which span 15 countries over five continents, encompasses: • visual dramaturgy • theatrical juxtapositions of robots and humans • contemporary transformations of Indonesian wayang kulit • Japanese ritual body substitutes • recent European productions featuring toys, clay, and food. The book features newly commissioned essays by leading scholars such as Matthew Isaac Cohen, Kathy Foley, Jane Marie Law, Eleanor Margolies, Cody Poulton, and Jane Taylor. It also celebrates the vital link between puppetry as a discipline and as a creative practice with chapters by active practitioners, including Handspring Puppet Company’s Basil Jones, Redmoon’s Jim Lasko, and Bread and Puppet’s Peter Schumann. Fully illustrated with more than 60 images, this volume comprises the most expansive English-language collection of international puppetry scholarship to date.

Assessing and improving nuclear material performance is a crucial subject for the sustainability of the nuclear energy and radioactive isotope supplies. This book aims to present research efforts used to identify nuclear materials performances in different areas. The contributions of esteemed international experts have covered important research aspects in fission and fusion technologies and naturally occurring radioactive materials management. The authors introduced current and anticipated trends toward better performances and mitigating challenges for commercial application of innovative technologies, biological remediation of mine effluents, nuclear fuel performance in power and research fission reactors, gamma ray spectrometer calibration, and recent advances in understanding the performance of tungsten composite in fusion reactor environment.

Performance of Bio-based Building Materials provides guidance on the use of bio-based building materials (BBBM) with respect to their performance. The book focuses on BBBM currently present on the European market. The state-of-the-art is presented regarding material properties, recommended uses, performance expectancies, testing methodology, and related standards. Chapters cover both 'old and traditional' BBBM since quite a few of them are experiencing a comeback on the market. Promising developments that could become commercial in the near future are presented as well. The book will be a valuable reference resource for those working in the bio-based materials research community, architects and agencies dealing with sustainable construction, and graduate students in civil engineering. - Takes a unique approach to bio-based materials and presents a broad overview of the topics on relevant areas necessary for application and promotion in construction - Contains a general description, notable properties related to performance, and applications - Presents standards that are structured according to performance types

Analytical Sample Preparation With Nano- and Other High-Performance Materials covers advanced sample treatment techniques and the new materials that can be used to boost their performance. The evolution of sample treatment over the last two decades has resulted in the development of new techniques and application of new materials. This is a must-have resource for those studying advanced analytical techniques and the role of high-performance materials in analytical chemistry. The book explains the underlying principles needed to properly understand sample preparation, and also examines the latest materials - including nanomaterials - that result in greater sensitivity and specificity. The book begins with a section devoted to all the various sample preparation techniques and then continues with sections on high-performance sorbents and high-performance solvents. - Combines basic, fundamental principles and advanced concepts and applications for a comprehensive treatment of sample preparation with new materials - Defines nano- and other high-performance materials in this context, including carbon nanoparticles, inorganic nanoparticles, ionic liquids, supramolecular solvents, and more - Includes discussion of all the latest advancements and new findings in both techniques and materials used for proper sample preparation