Sol-Gel processing methods, first used historically for decorative and constructional materials, were extensively developed in the last century for applications such as glasses, ceramics, catalysts, coatings, composites and fibres. Today they are reaching their full potential, enabling the preparation of new generations of advanced materials not easily accessible by other methods yet using mild, low-energy conditions. The topic is therefore increasingly included in advanced undergraduate, MSc and PhD programmes in the areas of chemistry, physics and materials science. This concise introductory text, written at the advanced undergraduate/first-year postgraduate level, is also suitable as an introduction to the development, mechanisms, chemistry, characterisation methods and applications of the technique. It provides readers with an extensive yet concise grounding in the theory of each area of the subject and details the real and potential applications and the future prospects of sol-gel chemistry.

Porous materials are of scientific and technological importance because of the presence of voids of controllable dimensions at the atomic, molecular, and nanometer scales, enabling them to discriminate and interact with molecules and clusters. Interestingly the big deal about this class of materials is about the “nothingness” within — the pore space. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) classifies porous materials into three categories — micropores of less than 2 nm in diameter, mesopores between 2 and 50 nm, and macropores of greater than 50 nm. In this book, nanoporous materials are defined as those porous materials with pore diameters less than 100 nm.Over the last decade, there has been an ever increasing interest and research effort in the synthesis, characterization, functionalization, molecular modeling and design of nanoporous materials. The main challenges in research include the fundamental understanding of structure-property relations and tailor-design of nanostructures for specific properties and applications. Research efforts in this field have been driven by the rapid growing emerging applications such as biosensor, drug delivery, gas separation, energy storage and fuel cell technology, nanocatalysis and photonics. These applications offer exciting new opportunities for scientists to develop new strategies and techniques for the synthesis and applications of these materials.This book provides a series of systematic reviews of the recent developments in nanoporous materials. It covers the following topics: (1) synthesis, processing, characterization and property evaluation; (2) functionalization by physical and/or chemical treatments; (3) experimental and computational studies on fundamental properties, such as catalytic effects, transport and adsorption, molecular sieving and biosorption; (4) applications, including photonic devices, catalysis, environmental pollution control, biological molecules separation and isolation, sensors, membranes, hydrogen and energy storage, etc./a

We are now entering the third decade of the 21st century, and, especially in the last years, the achievements made by scientists have been exceptional, leading to major advancements in the rapidly growing fields of bioengineering and biotechnology. This annual collection, which highlights article submissions from our Editorial Board members, looks to explore new insights, novel developments, current challenges, latest discoveries, recent advances, and future perspectives in the field of Nanobiotechnology. The Research Topic solicits brief, forward-looking contributions that describe the state of the art, outlining recent developments and major accomplishments that have been achieved and that need to occur to move the field forward. Authors are encouraged to identify the greatest challenges in the sub-disciplines, and how to address those challenges. The goal of this special edition Research Topic is to shed light on the progress made in the past decade and on its future challenges to provide a thorough overview of the nanobiotechnology field. This article collection will inspire, inform and provide direction and guidance to researchers. This collection is part of the 'Insights In' series which has been launched in each section of the journal. Other titles in the series include: Insights in Bioprocess Engineering 2022: Novel Developments, Current Challenges, and Future Perspective Insights in Biomaterials 2022: Novel Developments, Current Challenges, and Future Perspectives Insights In Biosafety & Biosecurity 2022: Novel Developments, Current Challenges, and Future Perspectives Insights in Biofabrication 2022: Novel Developments, Current Challenges, and Future Perspectives Insights in Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine 2022 / 2023: Novel Developments, Current Challenges, and Future Perspectives Insights in Synthetic Biology 2022 / 2023: Novel Developments, Current Challenges, and Future Perspectives

This ready reference is the first to collate the interdisciplinary knowledge from materials science, bioengineering and nanotechnology to give an in-depth overview of the topic. As such, it provides broad coverage of combinations between inorganic materials and such key biological structures as proteins, enzymes, DNA, or biopolymers. With its treatment of various application directions, including bioelectronic interfacing, tissue repair, porous membranes, sensors, nanocontainers, and DNA engineering, this is essential reading for materials engineers, medical researchers, catalytic chemists, biologists, and those working in the biotechnological and semiconductor industries.

The sol-gel method is a powerful route of synthesis used worldwide. It produces bulk, nano- and mesostructured sol-gel materials, which can encapsulate metallic and magnetic nanoparticles, non-linear azochromophores, perovskites, organic dyes, biological molecules, etc.. This can have interesting applications for catalysis, photocatalysis; drug delivery for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as cancer, Parkinson's and Azheimer's. In this book, valuable contributions related to novel materials synthesized by the sol-gel route are provided. The effect of the sol-gel method to synthesize these materials with potential properties is described, and how the variation of the parameters during the synthesis influences their design and allows to adjust their properties according to the desired application is discussed.

The uses of nanotechnologies continue to rise exponentially. Due to their multifaceted nature, nanomaterials have a vast amount of potential uses in various scientific professions. Professionals in sectors including agriculture, nutrition, and healthcare are discovering the numerous benefits that nanomaterials carry when applied to traditional practices. In order to understand the dynamic properties of nanomaterials and how to utilize them in specific fields, significant research is required. Applications of Nanomaterials in Agriculture, Food Science, and Medicine is an essential reference source that discusses the emerging development of nanotechnology in various sectors of the scientific community as well as the current benefits and future uses. Industries that the book covers include energy storage and renewable energy, environmental science and wastewater treatment, food and agriculture, and medicine and bioinformatics. This book is ideally designed for researchers, engineers, practitioners, industrialists, educators, strategists, policymakers, scientists, and students seeking coverage on the strategic role of nanomaterials in these imperative fields.

Metal Oxide Nanoparticles in Organic Solvents discusses recent advances in the chemistry involved for the controlled synthesis and assembly of metal oxide nanoparticles, the characterizations required by such nanoobjects, and their size and shape depending properties. In the last few years, a valuable alternative to the well-known aqueous sol-gel processes was developed in the form of nonaqueous solution routes. Metal Oxide Nanoparticles in Organic Solvents reviews and compares surfactant- and solvent-controlled routes, as well as providing an overview of techniques for the characterization of metal oxide nanoparticles, crystallization pathways, the physical properties of metal oxide nanoparticles, their applications in diverse fields of technology, and their assembly into larger nano- and mesostructures. Researchers and postgraduates in the fields of nanomaterials and sol-gel chemistry will appreciate this book’s informative approach to chemical formation mechanisms in relation to metal oxides.