Thin Films for Energy Harvesting, Conversion, and Storage
Efficient clean energy harvesting, conversion, and storage technologies are of immense importance for the sustainable development of human society. To this end, scientists have made significant advances in recent years regarding new materials and devices for improving the energy conversion efficiency for photovoltaics, thermoelectric generation, photoelectrochemical/electrolytic hydrogen generation, and rechargeable metal ion batteries. The aim of this Special Issue is to provide a platform for research scientists and engineers in these areas to demonstrate and exchange their latest research findings. This thematic topic undoubtedly represents an extremely important technological direction, covering materials processing, characterization, simulation, and performance evaluation of thin films used in energy harvesting, conversion, and storage.
Very High Resolution (VHR) Satellite Imagery
Recently, growing interest in the use of remote sensing imagery has appeared to provide synoptic maps of water quality parameters in coastal and inner water ecosystems;, monitoring of complex land ecosystems for biodiversity conservation; precision agriculture for the management of soils, crops, and pests; urban planning; disaster monitoring, etc. However, for these maps to achieve their full potential, it is important to engage in periodic monitoring and analysis of multi-temporal changes. In this context, very high resolution (VHR) satellite-based optical, infrared, and radar imaging instruments provide reliable information to implement spatially-based conservation actions. Moreover, they enable observations of parameters of our environment at greater broader spatial and finer temporal scales than those allowed through field observation alone. In this sense, recent very high resolution satellite technologies and image processing algorithms present the opportunity to develop quantitative techniques that have the potential to improve upon traditional techniques in terms of cost, mapping fidelity, and objectivity. Typical applications include multi-temporal classification, recognition and tracking of specific patterns, multisensor data fusion, analysis of land/marine ecosystem processes and environment monitoring, etc. This book aims to collect new developments, methodologies, and applications of very high resolution satellite data for remote sensing. The works selected provide to the research community the most recent advances on all aspects of VHR satellite remote sensing.
Selected Papers from the 9th Symposium on Micro-Nano Science and Technology on Micromachines
This Special Issue presents selected papers from the 8th Symposium on Micro-Nano Science and Technology on Micromachines, 31 October-2 November, 2017, in Hiroshima, Japan.We encouraged contributions of significant and original works in order to deeply understand physical, chemical, and biological phenomena at the micro/nano scale and to develop applied technologies. The conference covered the following main topics: 1: Precision machinery lubrication design 2: Material dynamics strength 3: Hydrodynamics 4: Thermal engineering 5: Production processing mechanical materials 6: Robotics mechatronics 7: Medical biotechnology 8: Micro/nano systemThe papers that attracted the most interest at the conference, or that provided novel contributions, were selected for publication in Micromachines. These papers were peer-reviewed for validation of the research results, developments and applications.
Gas Flows in Microsystems
The last two decades have witnessed a rapid development of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) involving gas microflows in various technical fields. Gas microflows can, for example, be observed in microheat exchangers designed for chemical applications or for cooling of electronic components, in fluidic microactuators developed for active flow control purposes, in micronozzles used for the micropropulsion of nano and picosats, in microgas chromatographs, analyzers or separators, in vacuum generators and in Knudsen micropumps, as well as in some organs-on-a-chip, such as artificial lungs. These flows are rarefied due to the small MEMS dimensions, and the rarefaction can be increased by low-pressure conditions. The flows relate to the slip flow, transition or free molecular regimes and can involve monatomic or polyatomic gases and gas mixtures. Hydrodynamics and heat and mass transfer are strongly impacted by rarefaction effects, and temperature-driven microflows offer new opportunities for designing original MEMS for gas pumping or separation. Accordingly, this Special Issue seeks to showcase research papers, short communications, and review articles that focus on novel theoretical and numerical models or data, as well as on new experimental results and technics, for improving knowledge on heat and mass transfer in gas microflows. Papers dealing with the development of original gas MEMS are also welcome.
Thermo-Mechanical Behaviour of Structural Lightweight Alloys
The need to reduce the ecological footprint of water/land/air vehicles in this era of climate change requires pushing the limits regarding the development of lightweight structures and materials. This requires a thorough understanding of their thermomechanical behavior at several stages of the production chain. Moreover, during service, the response of lightweight alloys under the simultaneous influence of mechanical loads and temperature can determine the lifetime and performance of a multitude of structural components.The present Special Issue, comprising eight original research articles, is dedicated to disseminating current efforts around the globe aimed at advancing understanding of the thermomechanical behavior of structural lightweight alloys under processing or service conditions.
Microbial Fuel Cells 2018
The rapid growth of global energy consumption and simultaneous waste discharge requires more sustainable energy production and waste disposal/recovery technology. In this respect, microbial fuel cell and bioelectrochemical systems have been highlighted to provide a platform for waste-to-energy and cost-efficient treatment. Microbial fuel cell technology has also contributed to both academia and industry through the development of breakthrough sustainable technologies, enabling cross- and multi-disciplinary approaches in microbiology, biotechnology, electrochemistry, and bioprocess engineering. To further spread these technologies and to help the implementation of microbial fuel cells, this Special Issue, entitled "Microbial Fuel Cells 2018", was proposed for the international journal Energies. This Special Issue mainly covers original research and studies related to the above-mentioned topic, including, but not limited to, bioelectricity generation, microbial electrochemistry, useful resource recovery, system and process design, and the implementation of microbial fuel cells.
Textiles for Industrial Applications
An evolution is currently underway in the textile industry and Textile for Industrial Applications is the guidebook for its growth. This industry can be classified into three categories-clothing, home textile, and industrial textile. Industrial textiles, also known as technical textiles, are a part of the industry that is thriving and showing great promise. Unlike conventional textiles traditionally used for clothing or furnishing by consumers, industrial textiles are used for manufacturing and functionality purposes, and generally by other industries. This book provides an encyclopedic review of industrial textiles, covering all of the latest trends in the development and application of these textiles with advice and suggestions on how to apply them in other industries. Discusses the latest technologies adopted in the industrial textile industry including nano finishing and plasma applications Covers the basic fundamentals about product characteristics and production techniques Caters to students and faculty involved in textile technology, composite technology, and other interdisciplinary courses as it relates to product engineering and product development Textiles for Industrial Applications details the market potential and growth of industrial textiles and explains the steps involved in the product development of industrial textiles. It discusses property requirement, the basic textile manufacturing process, manufacturing techniques and fibers used, as well as application methods. The book highlights recent developments in terms of raw material usage, manufacturing technology, and value-added finishes in this sector. A separate chapter focuses on the testing procedures of various industrial textiles.
Micro/Nano Manufacturing
Micro manufacturing involves dealing with the fabrication of structures in the size range of 0.1 to 1000 繕m. The scope of nano manufacturing extends the size range of manufactured features to even smaller length scales--below 100 nm. A strict borderline between micro and nano manufacturing can hardly be drawn, such that both domains are treated as complementary and mutually beneficial within a closely interconnected scientific community. Both micro and nano manufacturing can be considered as important enablers for high-end products. This Special Issue of Applied Sciences is dedicated to recent advances in research and development within the field of micro and nano manufacturing. The included papers report recent findings and advances in manufacturing technologies for producing products with micro and nano scale features and structures as well as applications underpinned by the advances in these technologies.
The Development of Ink, Printing and Paper in Asia
Essays on the origins of ink, paper and printing in Asia, tracing the early development of these technologies in China, Korea and Japan, and their later migration westward through South and Central Asia to Europe and America. The author, Berhold Laufer, a brilliant sinologist and linguist, quite correctly states that, without these developments, "there would have been no adequate record of the past, no progress, no science; it marks the dawn of civilization, it sets off civilization from savagery." Laufer draws on primary sources and linguistic clues to reconstruct not only the timeframes and evolution of these technological developments, but also the materials and methods which the ancients used, the folklore that developed around ink and printing, and how these technologies eventually reached the West, many centuries after their origin. Along the way we learn how Chinese and other east Asians recorded information prior to the invention of printing, how the Buddhist sangha were the first users of early printing, how ink was employed as an tribute to rulers and the gods, that ink was used for both medicinal and punitive purposes and much more. A must read for all with interest in Asian culture and its contributions to human progress.
Smart Sustainable Manufacturing Systems
With the advent of disruptive digital technologies, companies are facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities. Advanced manufacturing systems are of paramount importance in making key enabling technologies and new products more competitive, affordable, and accessible, as well as for fostering their economic and social impact. The manufacturing industry also serves as an innovator for sustainability since automation coupled with advanced manufacturing technologies have helped manufacturing practices transition into the circular economy. To that end, this Special Issue of the journal Applied Sciences, devoted to the broad field of Smart Sustainable Manufacturing Systems, explores recent research into the concepts, methods, tools, and applications for smart sustainable manufacturing, in order to advance and promote the development of modern and intelligent manufacturing systems. In light of the above, this Special Issue is a collection of the latest research on relevant topics and addresses the current challenging issues associated with the introduction of smart sustainable manufacturing systems. Various topics have been addressed in this Special Issue, which focuses on the design of sustainable production systems and factories; industrial big data analytics and cyberphysical systems; intelligent maintenance approaches and technologies for increased operating life of production systems; zero-defect manufacturing strategies, tools and methods towards online production management; and connected smart factories.
Preservation of Cultural Heritage and Resources Threatened by Climate Change
With its wide spectrum of data, case studies, monitoring, and experimental and numerical simulation techniques, the multidisciplinary approach of material, environmental, and computer science applied to the conservation of cultural heritage offers several opportunities for the heritage science and conservation community to map and monitor state-of-the-art knowledge on natural and human-induced climate change impacts on cultural heritage--mainly constituted by the built environment--in Europe and Latin America. Geosciences' Special Issue titled "Preservation of Cultural Heritage and Resources Threatened by Climate Change" was launched to take stock of the existing but still fragmentary knowledge on this challenge, and to enable the community to respond to the implementation of the Paris agreement. These 10 papers exploit a broad range of data derived from preventive conservation monitoring conducted indoors in museums, churches, historical buildings, or outdoors in archeological sites and city centers. Case studies presented in the papers focus on a well-assorted sample of decay phenomena occurring on heritage materials (e.g., surface recession and biomass accumulation on limestone, depositions of pollutant on marble, salt weathering on inorganic building materials, and weathering processes on mortars in many local- to regional-scale study areas in the Scandinavian Peninsula, the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Italy, Greece, and Panama). Besides monitoring, the methodological approaches showcased include, but are not limited to, original material characterization, decay product characterization, and climate and numerical modelling on material components for assessing environmental impact and climate change effects.
Engineering Principles of Mechanical Vibration
Engineering Principles of Mechanical Vibration, 5th Edition was written for use in introductory senior level undergraduate and intermediate level graduate mechanical vibration courses. Students who use this textbook should have an understanding of rigid body dynamics and ordinary differential equations. Mechanical vibration concepts presented in this textbook can be used to address real world vibration problems. Ordinary differential equations are developed and solution methods are presented that describe the motions of vibration systems comprised of mass, spring and damping elements. Partial differential equations are developed and solution methods are presented that describe the motions of vibration systems comprised of strings, beams, membranes and thin plates. The solution methods address vibration systems that are excited by system initial conditions and by periodic, complex periodic, non-periodic and random vibration signals. Information is presented that addresses vibration transducers and measurement instrumentation, the digital processing of vibration signals, and analytical and experimental modal analyses. This textbook presents design criteria and concepts and related system components used to develop vibration isolation systems for mechanical equipment in buildings.
Applications of Power Electronics
Power electronics technology is still an emerging technology, and it has found its way into many applications, from renewable energy generation (i.e., wind power and solar power) to electrical vehicles (EVs), biomedical devices, and small appliances, such as laptop chargers. In the near future, electrical energy will be provided and handled by power electronics and consumed through power electronics; this not only will intensify the role of power electronics technology in power conversion processes, but also implies that power systems are undergoing a paradigm shift, from centralized distribution to distributed generation. Today, more than 1000 GW of renewable energy generation sources (photovoltaic (PV) and wind) have been installed, all of which are handled by power electronics technology. The main aim of this book is to highlight and address recent breakthroughs in the range of emerging applications in power electronics and in harmonic and electromagnetic interference (EMI) issues at device and system levels as discussed in robust and reliable power electronics technologies, including fault prognosis and diagnosis technique stability of grid-connected converters and smart control of power electronics in devices, microgrids, and at system levels.
Elon Musk
ELON MUSKElon Musk has been busy improving humanity's chance of long term survival for nearly 20 years. After helping to form PayPal, Musk went on to form a company whose work has since replaced the space shuttle when it comes to NASA flights to the space station and is behind the recent expansion in the number of electric cars on the road as well. In addition to being a compelling story of triumphing against adversity, 'Elon Musk: Best Lessons for Life, Business, Success and Entrepreneurship!' has plenty to teach when it comes to learning the lessons that Musk has taken to heart to achieve his success. Musk is a symbol of the American dream, despite not being American, he is truly self-made, working his way through college and starting his first business in time to take advantage of the burgeoning internet scene to become a millionaire before the age of 30. Unlike many people who might think that was enough, Musk instead put his money into another startup which quintupled his net worth when his company was purchased by eBay. From there he went on to become the CEO of two companies which are each worth $1 billion. Do yourself a favor, learn from what Musk has done, and read this book today. Here Is What You'll Learn About... Who Is Elon Musk What Makes Elon So Successful Elon's Biggest Successes Elon's Biggest Failures What Elon Has Planned For The Future Lessons You Can Learn From Elon Musk How To Replicate Elon's Success Much, Much More!
Miniaturized Transistors
What is the future of CMOS? Sustaining increased transistor densities along the path of Moore's Law has become increasingly challenging with limited power budgets, interconnect bandwidths, and fabrication capabilities. In the last decade alone, transistors have undergone significant design makeovers; from planar transistors of ten years ago, technological advancements have accelerated to today's FinFETs, which hardly resemble their bulky ancestors. FinFETs could potentially take us to the 5-nm node, but what comes after it? From gate-all-around devices to single electron transistors and two-dimensional semiconductors, a torrent of research is being carried out in order to design the next transistor generation, engineer the optimal materials, improve the fabrication technology, and properly model future devices. We invite insight from investigators and scientists in the field to showcase their work in this Special Issue with research papers, short communications, and review articles that focus on trends in micro- and nanotechnology from fundamental research to applications.
Entropy in Image Analysis
Image analysis is a fundamental task for extracting information from images acquired across a range of different devices. Since reliable quantitative results are requested, image analysis requires highly sophisticated numerical and analytical methods--particularly for applications in medicine, security, and remote sensing, where the results of the processing may consist of vitally important data. The contributions to this book provide a good overview of the most important demands and solutions concerning this research area. In particular, the reader will find image analysis applied for feature extraction, encryption and decryption of data, color segmentation, and in the support new technologies. In all the contributions, entropy plays a pivotal role.
Small Scale Deformation Using Advanced Nanoindentation Techniques
Small scale mechanical deformations have gained a significant interest over the past few decades, driven by the advances in integrated circuits and microelectromechanical systems. One of the most powerful and versatile characterization methods is the nanoindentation technique. The capabilities of these depth-sensing instruments have been improved considerably. They can perform experiments in vacuum and at high temperatures, such as in-situ SEM and TEM nanoindenters. This allows researchers to visualize mechanical deformations and dislocations motion in real time. Time-dependent behavior of soft materials has also been studied in recent research works. This Special Issue on "Small Scale Deformation using Advanced Nanoindentation Techniques"; will provide a forum for researchers from the academic and industrial communities to present advances in the field of small scale contact mechanics. Materials of interest include metals, glass, and ceramics. Manuscripts related to deformations of biomaterials and biological related specimens are also welcome. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: Small scale facture Nanoscale plasticity and creep Size-dependent deformation phenomena Deformation of biological cells Mechanical properties of cellular and sub-cellular components Novel mechanical properties characterization techniques New modeling methods Environmentally controlled nanoindentation In-situ SEM and TEM indentation
Plasmonics and Its Applications
Plasmonics is a rapidly developing field that combines fundamental research and applications ranging from areas such as physics to engineering, chemistry, biology, medicine, food sciences, and the environmental sciences. Plasmonics appeared in the 1950s with the discovery of surface plasmon polaritons. Plasmonics then went through a novel propulsion in the mid-1970s, when surface-enhanced Raman scattering was discovered. Nevertheless, it is in this last decade that a very significant explosion of plasmonics and its applications has occurred. Thus, this book provides a snapshot of the current advances in these various areas of plasmonics and its applications, such as engineering, sensing, surface-enhanced fluorescence, catalysis, and photovoltaic devices.
Product/Process Fingerprint in Micro Manufacturing
The continuous miniaturization of products and the growing complexity of their embedded multifunctionalities necessitates continuous research and development efforts regarding micro components and related micro manufacturing technologies.Highly miniaturized systems, manufactured using a wide variety of materials, have found application in key technological fields, such as healthcare devices, micro implants, mobility, communications, optics, and micro electromechanical systems.Innovations required for the high-precision manufacturing of micro components can specifically be achieved through optimizations using post-process (i.e., offline) and in-process (i.e., online) metrology of both process input and output parameters, as well as geometrical features of the produced micro parts. However, it is of critical importance to reduce the metrology and optimization efforts, since process and product quality control can represent a significant portion of the total production time in micro manufacturing.To solve this fundamental challenge, research efforts have been undertaken in order to define, investigate, implement, and validate the so-called "product/process manufacturing fingerprint" concept.The "product manufacturing fingerprint" concept refers to those unique dimensional outcomes (e.g., surface topography, form error, critical dimensions, etc.) on the produced component that, if kept under control and within specifications, ensure that the entire micro component complies to its specifications.The "process manufacturing fingerprint" is a specific process parameter or feature to be monitored and controlled, in order to maintain the manufacture of products within the specified tolerances.By integrating both product and process manufacturing fingerprint concepts, the metrology and optimization efforts are highly reduced. Therefore, the quality of the micro products increases, with an obvious improvement in production yield.Accordingly, this Special Issue seeks to showcase research papers, short communications, and review articles that focus on novel methodological developments and applications in micro- and sub-micro-scale manufacturing, process monitoring and control, as well as micro and sub-micro product quality assurance. Focus will be on micro manufacturing process chains and their micro product/process fingerprint, towards full process optimization and zero-defect micro manufacturing.
Mechanics And Durability of Solids
Using a fresh, modern approach to the mechanics of materials, the focus of this book is on a unified mechanistic approach that uses energy concepts for modeling a large range of engineering material behavior. In the presentation, 1D-Think models lead to the development of various fundamentals of continuum mechanics, such as deformation and strain, momentum balance, stress and stress states, thermoelasticity and elasticity bounds, plasticity and yield design. Topics covered includes a description of finite deformation, infinitesimal deformation, momentum balance and stress, stress and stress states, thermoelasticity, the theorem of virtual work and variational methods in elasticity, 1D-plasticity, plasticity models and limit analysis and yield design.
Polymeric Materials
This book collects the articles published in the Special Issue "Polymeric Materials: Surfaces, Interfaces and Bioapplications". It shows the advances in polymeric materials, which have tremendous applications in agricultural films, food packaging, dental restoration, antimicrobial systems, and tissue engineering. These polymeric materials are presented as films, coatings, particles, fibers, hydrogels, or networks. The potential to modify and modulate their surfaces or their content by different techniques, such as click chemistry, ozonation, breath figures, wrinkle formation, or electrospray, are also explained, taking into account the relationship between the structure and properties in the final application. Moreover, new trends in the development of such materials are presented, using more environmental friendly and safe methods, which, at the same time, have a high impact on our society
Material and Process Design for Lightweight Structures
The use of lightweight structures across several industries has become inevitable in today's world given the ever-rising demand for improved fuel economy and resource efficiency. In the automotive industry, composites, reinforced plastics, and lightweight materials, such as aluminum and magnesium are being adopted by many OEMs at increasing rates to reduce vehicle mass and develop efficient new lightweight designs. Automotive weight reduction with high-strength steel is also witnessing major ongoing efforts to design novel damage-controlled forming processes for a new generation of efficient, lightweight steel components. Although great progress has been made over the past decades in understanding the thermomechanical behavior of these materials, their extensive use as lightweight solutions is still limited due to numerous challenges that play a key role in cost competitiveness. Hence, significant research efforts are still required to fully understand the anisotropic material behavior, failure mechanisms, and, most importantly, the interplay between industrial processing, microstructure development, and the resulting properties.This Special Issue reprint book features concise reports on the current status in the field. The topics discussed herein include areas of manufacturing and processing technologies of materials for lightweight applications, innovative microstructure and process design concepts, and advanced characterization techniques combined with modeling of material's behavior.
Advanced Glasses, Composites and Ceramics for High Growth Industries
'Advanced Glasses, Composites and Ceramics for High-Growth Industries' (CoACH) was a European Training Network (ETN) project (http: //www.coach-etn.eu/) funded by the Horizon 2020 program. CoACH involved multiple actors in the innovation ecosystem for advanced materials, composed of five universities and ten enterprises in seven different European countries. The project studied the next generation of materials that could bring innovation in the healthcare, construction, and energy sectors, among others, from new bioactive glasses for bone implants to eco-friendly cements and new environmentally friendly thermoelectrics for energy conversion. The novel materials developed in the CoACH project pave the way for innovative products, improved cost competitiveness, and positive environmental impact. The present Special Issue contains 14 papers resulting from the CoACH project, showcasing the breadth of materials and processes developed during the project.
Ceramic Conductors
This Special Issue of Crystals contains papers focusing on various properties of conducting ceramics. Multiple aspects of both the research and application of this group of materials have been addressed. Conducting ceramics are the wide group of mostly oxide materials which play crucial roles in various technical applications, especially in the context of the harvesting and storage of energy. Without ion-conducting oxides, such as yttria-stabilized zirconia, doped ceria devices such as solid oxide fuel cells would not exist, not to mention the wide group of other ion conductors which can be applied in batteries or even electrolyzers, besides fuel cells. The works published in this Special Issue tackle experimental results as well as general theoretical trends in the field of ceramic conductors, or electroceramics, as it is often referred to.
Essentials of Fire Fighting
Essentials of Fire Fighting and Fire Department Operations continues the tradition of excellence in fire fighter education. It offers you a well-rounded foundation for success in professional fire fighting, while helping you prepare for qualifying exams. The text meets all the requirements of Fire Fighter I and II levels of NFPA 1001(R), NFPA 472(R) and OSHA 1910.120. The 7th Edition offers a complete support package, including skill sheets, knot and rope requirements, and coverage of essential job tasks related to medical requirements of NFPA 1582(R). The text reflects the latest research in fire behavior and fire attack. Its new one-column format allows for more photos, more illustrations and more tables to enhance learning.
Crystal Growth of Multifunctional Borates and Related Materials
Borate crystals are attractive for different technological applications because of their favorable physical and chemical properties like stability and high transparency, both high thermal and non-linear optical coefficients, making them ideal active media for highly efficient solid state lasers. In this Special Issue, different aspects of multifunctional borate crystals are discussed, including ortho- and oxyorthoborates and compounds with condensed anions, as well as their nonlinear optical and laser properties and piezoelectric characteristics. For this reason, complex investigations of the phase relationships in multi-component borate melts, the study of crystal growth conditions of novel high-temperature borates, and the development of the "crystallization conditions, composition, structure, and properties" concept will provide a scientific basis for growth technologies of high performance electronic and optical devices and components with a variety of industrial, medical and many other applications. In the meantime, these relationships can help to estimate the affinity of synthetic borate materials with their natural prototypes and structural analogues.
Antimicrobial Resistance in Environmental Waters
This Special Issue on Antimicrobial Resistance in Environmental Waters features 11 articles on the monitoring and surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in natural aquatic systems (i.e., reservoirs, rivers), and effluent discharge from water treatment plants to assess the effectiveness of AMR removal and resulting loads in treated waters. Some of the key elements of AMR studies presented in this Special Issue highlight the underlying drivers of AMR contamination in the environment and the evaluation of the hazard imposed on aquatic organisms in receiving environments through ecological risk assessments. As described in this Issue, screening antimicrobial peptide (AMP) libraries for biofilm disruption and antimicrobial candidates are promising avenues for the development of new treatment options to eradicate resistance.
Surface Modification to Improve Properties of Materials
This book contains selected contributions on surface modification to improve the properties of solid materials. The surface properties are tailored either by functionalization, etching, or deposition of a thin coating. Functionalization is achieved by a brief treatment with non-equilibrium gaseous plasma containing suitable radicals that interact chemically with the material surface and thus enable the formation of rather stable functional groups. Etching is performed in order to modify the surface morphology. The etching parameters are selected in such a way that a rich morphology of the surfaces is achieved spontaneously on the sub-micrometer scale, without using masks. The combination of adequate surface morphology and functionalization of materials leads to superior surface properties which are particularly beneficial for the desired response upon incubation with biological matter. Alternatively, the materials are coated with a suitable thin film that is useful in various applications from food to aerospace industries.
Food Packaging
Because of the increasing pressure on both food safety and packaging/food waste, the topic is important both for academics, applied research, industry and also for environment protection. Different materials, such as glass, metals, paper and paperboards, and non-degradable and degradable polymers, with versatile properties, are attractive for potential uses in food packaging. Food packaging is the largest area of application within the food sector. Only the nanotechnology-enabled products in the food sector account for 50% of the market value, with and the annual growth rate is 11.65%. Technological developments are also of great interest. In the food sector, nanotechnology is involved in packaging materials with extremely high gas barriers, antimicrobial properties, and also in nanoencapsulants for the delivery of nutrients, flavors, or aromas, antimicrobial, and antioxidant compounds. Applications of materials, including nanomaterials in packaging and food safety, are in forms of: edible films, polymer nanocomposites, as high barrier packaging materials, nanocoatings, surface biocides, silver nanoparticles as potent antimicrobial agents, nutrition and neutraceuticals, active/bioactive packaging, intelligent packaging, nanosensors and nanomaterial-based assays for the detection of food relevant analytes (gasses, small organic molecules and food-borne pathogens) and bioplastics.
Automatic Pistol Caliber .45 M1911 and M1911A1 Field Manual
The M1911 is a single-action, semi-automatic pistol chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge, and served as the standard-issue sidearm for the United States military from 1911 to 1985. It was widely used from the First World War all theway up to the Vietnam War. Modern M1911 variants are still in use by some units within the U.S. Army Special Forces, the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. The Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, M1911 was designed by John Browning, and is the best known of his designs to use the short recoil principle in its basic design. The design was widely copied, and this operating system rose to become the most renowned type of the twentieth century. In total, the United States purchased around 2.7 million M1911 and M1911A1 pistols in military contracts during its service life. Created in 1940, this field manual reveals a great deal about the M1911'sdesign and capabilities. Intended as a manual for those charged with operation, it details many strategies for achieving outstanding marksmanship. Originally labeled restricted, this manual was declassified long ago and is here reprinted in book form. Care has been taken to preserve the integrity of the text.
Army of None
The era of autonomous weapons has arrived. Today around the globe, at least thirty nations have weapons that can search for and destroy enemy targets all on their own. Paul Scharre, a leading expert in next-generation warfare, describes these and other high tech weapons systems--from Israel's Harpy drone to the American submarine-hunting robot ship Sea Hunter--and examines the legal and ethical issues surrounding their use. "A smart primer to what's to come in warfare" (Bruce Schneier), Army of None engages military history, global policy, and cutting-edge science to explore the implications of giving weapons the freedom to make life and death decisions. A former soldier himself, Scharre argues that we must embrace technology where it can make war more precise and humane, but when the choice is life or death, there is no replacement for the human heart.
Field Artillery and Fire Power
This definitive overview of the development and use of artillery makes the complex artillery systems of today understandable, while at the same time showing how they have evolved and how they are likely to change in the future. The author, until recently chief of artillery for the British Army, is considered one of the world's foremost experts on the subject. Unlike other books that either describe the technical aspects of present-day firepower or outline its history during specific wars, this work provides both a detailed explanation of the modern artillery system and a history of its development over the past six hundred fifty years, identifying its enduring principles and changing practices against an ever-changing background of technology, tactics, and strategy. When an earlier version of this book was published in 1989, it became known as the best single source on field artillery in the English language. This new edition has been fully updated and substantially expanded to cover a wide range of contemporary military debates and the role of firepower, and is certain to be regarded as the ultimate work on the subject for years to come. J. B. A. Bailey assesses major developments over the past decade, analyzing artillery operations in airborne, urban, littoral, desert, jungle, mountain, artic, and nocturnal environments. He examines direct fire, counterfire, the suppression of enemy air defenses, and force protection methods. He explains field artillery from its primitive beginnings to its dominance as an art in World War II and its potent utility in operations since 1945 and into the future. The book will be of particular interest to military historians and those engaged in debating firepower's future. Published in cooperation with the Association of the United States Army. 15 photographs. 8 line drawings. Appendixes. Notes. Bibliography. Index. 7 x 10 inches.
Classical Relaxation Phenomenology
This book serves as a self-contained reference source for engineers, materials scientists, and physicists with an interest in relaxation phenomena. It is made accessible to students and those new to the field by the inclusion of both elementary and advanced math techniques, as well as chapter opening summaries that cover relevant background information and enhance the book's pedagogical value. These summaries cover a wide gamut from elementary to advanced topics.The book is divided into three parts. The opening part, on mathematics, presents the core techniques and approaches. Parts II and III then apply the mathematics to electrical relaxation and structural relaxation, respectively. Part II discusses relaxation of polarization at both constant electric field (dielectric relaxation) and constant displacement (conductivity relaxation), topics that are not often discussed together. Part III primarily discusses enthalpy relaxation of amorphous materials within and below the glass transition temperature range. It takes a practical approach inspired by applied mathematics in which detailed rigorous proofs are eschewed in favor of describing practical tools that are useful to scientists and engineers. Derivations are however given when these provide physical insight and/or connections to other material.A self-contained reference on relaxation phenomenaDetails both the mathematical basis and applicationsFor engineers, materials scientists, and physicists
Kstliche Photosynthese
Globale Herausforderung: Ersatz fossiler durch regenerative Brennstoffe.- Die Vision: Nutzung der Solarenergie nach dem Vorbild der Natur.- Photosynthese - das biologische Vorbild.- Modifizierte Photosynthese.- Nachhaltige Energiekreisl瓣ufe: Von der biologischen zur K羹nstlichen Photosynthese.- K羹nstliche Photosynthese: Eine Analyse in Teilprozessen.- Von Teilschritten zum K羹nstlichen Baum: die technische Umsetzung.- K羹nstliche Photosynthese gemeinsam gestalten.- Was tun?!.
Security and Strategy in the New Europe
Clarifies the options for a new European security order, covering the nature and structure of security, resurgent nationalism, security strategy, the distinctive concerns of individual states east and west and the role of the US.
Novel Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering 2018
The concept of regenerating tissues, with properties and functions that mimic natural tissues, has attracted significant attention in recent years. It provides potential solutions for treating many diseases and other healthcare issues. To fully realize the potential of the approach, it is crucial to have a rational biomaterial design to create novel scaffolds, and other materials systems suitable for tissue engineering, repair and regeneration. Research advances on the topic include the design of new biomaterials and their composites, the scaffold fabrication via subtractive and additive manufacturing approaches, the development of implantable scaffolds for disease monitoring, diagnostics, and treatment, as well as the understanding of cells-biomaterial scaffolds interaction. This Special Issue, "Novel Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering", covers a selection of timely research activities in the field of biomaterials for tissue engineering and regeneration purposes. Promising findings on different approaches to design and develop new biomaterials, biomaterial systems and methods for tissue engineering, are presented and discussed. Recent advances in biofabrication techniques for tissue engineering are additionally demonstrated. The issue comprises a series of state-of-the-art experimental works, up-to-date review articles and commentaries.]
Consideration of Abiotic Natural Resources in Life Cycle Assessments
The book contains a collection of articles dealing with how the extraction of mineral resources can be considered in environmental analyses such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The consumption of resources, e.g., metals, is increasing strongly worldwide. This is associated with more energy use; environmental pollution; and social, economic, and political consequences. An increase is also expected for the coming decades. At the same time, modern products and technologies, even in the field of renewable energies, require a large number of critical raw materials. A crucial question here is the exhaustibility of natural resources. What is the relevance of resource depletion today? Must a geological shortage of metals be expected in the foreseeable future? How could such a thing be considered in the LCA of products and weighed against other environmental aspects? The articles in question have been written over the past three years by leading experts in both geology and environmental sciences and show the breadth of the controversial discussion.
Environmentally Sustainable Livestock Production
This book looks at key research covering a wide range of aspects of environmental sustainability and the mitigation of environmental impacts of livestock production, including emissions of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide), nitrogen and phosphorus excretion, ammonia emissions, land use and land management, and use of energy and other resources. All the globally most important livestock species (beef and dairy cattle, pigs, broiler chicken and laying hens) are covered in the book. The mitigation methods assessed in the papers include general system changes, changes in feeding, improvement of animal health, and new technologies of manure management. The scope of the papers included in this book ranges from farm level mitigation methods to national level system changes. This book also addresses methodological development in assessing the environmental sustainability of the livestock production chains, including holistic methods, such as environmental and social life cycle assessment (LCA) and other modeling approaches.
A Fireman’s Tools
A firefighter is a modern-day superhero because he/she helps people in need. By using their bravery as the theme of this coloring book, children are educated on their important functions. Coloring makes it easy for the little ones to understand concepts because it is an inclusive activity. If you want to enrich the experience, be on standby to share amazing stories too!
Fireman Coloring Book
What does a fireman do? This amazing book holds the answer! Coloring is a highly recommended activity because it hones your child's essential life skills like patience, confidence, focus and determination too. It is also a tool for learning, as it stimulates creativity, language development and hunger for knowledge too! Buy a copy of this fireman-themed coloring book now!
Fireman and Firefighters
There's an even more effective way to teach your child about firefighters and that's through coloring. Coloring books are essential tools to learning important life skills including focus, determination, passion and control. It is also an activity applauded for its ability to develop language and boost your child's knowledge on colors, forms, lines and shape. Your child needs this copy so grab one now!
Kinetics, Transport, and Structure in Hard and Soft Materials
Kinetics, Transport, and Structure in Hard and Soft Materials is the only single reference that discusses the connection between structure and mechanisms of atomic or molecular transport in different classes of materials, from metals and semiconductors to network glasses, polymers and supercooled liquids. Divided into four parts, Part I begins with a discussion the fundamentals of transport, wherein transport properties of a system of non-interacting particles are calculated and the phenomenon of Brownian motion introduced. The phenomenology of diffusion is also discussed wherein Fick's laws are introduced and solved for a range of practical cases involving mass transport. Elementary Statistical mechanics, involving Partition functions, probability distribution functions and correlation functions, is discussed to lay the foundation for the subsequent discussion of mechanisms of transport in different materials. Parts II and III focus on mechanisms of transport in crystalline materials and in structurally disordered materials. Chapters explain how the mechanism of diffusional transport of an atom or molecule is intimately connected to the spatial organization of neighboring structural elements and to its interactions with them. The book reviews factors that control temperature dependent long-range dynamics of glass-forming systems. Diffusion and viscoelasticity of polymer melts, transport (viscous flow and ionic diffusion) in inorganic network glasses, and dynamic heterogeneity in super cooled liquids are described. Part IV analyzes the development of instabilities, such as spinodal decomposition and Mullins-Sekerka instabilities, which lead to the morphological evolution of materials. Kinetics, Transport, and Structure in Hard and Soft Materials emphasizes interdisciplinary nature of transport in materials, presenting its material in a user-friendly format for students from any discipline with a foundation in elementary
Mechanics of Carbon Nanotubes
Mechanics of Carbon Nanotubes: Fundamentals, Modeling and Safety draws on the latest academic research and nanotechnology applications to provide a comprehensive guide on the most recent developments in the science of carbon nanotubes. The fundamentals of nanomechanics and mechanical behavior of carbon nanotubes are presented in initial chapters, followed by more advanced topics such as the classification of carbon nanotubes, carbon nanotubes in nanocomposites, multiwall carbon nanotubes, and recent trends.This book provides a system for the classification of carbon nanotubes into 20 classes, aiding correct selection for various applications, and includes the Atomic Registry Matrix Analysis for nanoscale interfaces, essential for design involving friction or sliding. Parametric maps are included to help readers pick the correct model for a particular CNT geometry, in addition to a thorough examination of the effective thickness paradox and safety issues related to CNTs, such as toxicity at high aspect ratio.Mechanics of Carbon Nanotubes is essential reading for anyone involved in research or engineering that includes carbon nanotubes, be they students or seasoned professionals in the field. It is particularly useful to those working with applications in the areas of microelectronics, robotics, aerospace, composites, or prosthetics.
The New Science of Strong Materials or Why You Don't Fall Through the Floor
J. E. Gordon's classic introduction to the properties of materials used in engineering answers some fascinating and fundamental questions about how the structural world around us works. Gordon focuses on so-called strong materials--such as metals, wood, ceramics, glass, and bone--explaining in engaging and accessible terms the unique physical and chemical basis for their inherent structural qualities. He also shows how an in-depth understanding of these materials' intrinsic strengths--and weaknesses--guides our engineering choices, allowing us to build the structures that support our society. This work is an enduring example of first-rate scientific communication. Philip Ball's introduction describes Gordon's career and the impact of his innovations in materials research, while also discussing how the field has evolved since Gordon wrote this enduring example of first-rate scientific communication.
Post-Cold War Defense Reform
With landslide political changes in Europe in the early 1990s, politicians and military planners started to contemplate their possible effects on military postures. Most countries, however, did not enforce plans for post-Cold War reforms because they lacked political will and money, their conservative militaries resisted, and they felt no real pressure from any clear and present threat. Fortunately, debates have begun about the future of military forces, the "revolution in military affairs," and the plans for NATO and European security and defense cooperation. This publication serves as a timely contribution to the debate on determining which lessons have, and have not, been learned--while suggesting possible courses for the way ahead.
Kernenergie
Knapp und klar arbeitet der Autor die Grundlagen zum Verst瓣ndnis der Kernenergie heraus und erm繹glicht Lesern damit einen leichten Einstieg ins Thema. Dabei vermittelt er nicht nur die technisch-wissenschaftlichen Grundlagen in allgemein verst瓣ndlicher und umfassender Weise, sondern befasst sich auch mit den gesellschaftspolitischen Fragen der Sicherheit, der Entsorgung und der nuklearen Abr羹stung. Der Band bietet die M繹glichkeit, die aktuellen Entwicklungen nach der Reaktorkatastrophe in Fukushima einzuordnen und zu reflektieren.
