Mineral additives are widespread in industrial manufacturing processes. So-called mineral fillers are used to extend raw materials and cut costs. Recently minerals and associated inorganics have frequently been used for their functionality and other mineral-specific qualities. The emergence of nanoscale minerals parallels the global pursuit of nanotechnology. The use of these minerals plays an important role in low-cost, high-performance application of nanotechnology. This 21-chapter compilation is for mineral suppliers, industrial users of mineral fillers, and those concerned with new trends in mineral processing and nanotechnology. Contributions by leading international researchers highlight the emerging markets and applications of functional fillers and nanoscale minerals.

Mineral fillers are used in industrial manufacturing processes to extend raw materials and cut costs, and more recently sometimes used for their functionality and other mineral-specific qualities. Mineral additives are widespread in industrial manufacturing processes. Another rapidly emerging technological area is that of nanoscale minerals. This emergence of nanoscale minerals parallels the global pursuit of nanotechnology; the use of nanoscale minerals will undoubtedly play an important role in low-cost, high-performance application of nanotechnology. The Functional Fillers and Nanoscale Minerals Symposium was first introduced at the 2003 SME Annual Meeting. The success of the first symposium led to the second symposium of the same name at the 2006 SME Annual Meeting.

Throughout human history, we have long encountered the combination of promise, risk, and uncertainty that accompanies emerging technologies. Nanotechnology is a recent example of an emerging technology that promises to drastically improve existing products as well as allow for creative development of new goods and services. This new technology also has its potential downsides. Industry, academia, and regulatory agencies are all working overtime to assess risks accurately while keeping up with the pace of development. Subtle changes in the physicochemical properties of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) can influence their toxicity and behavior in the environment and so can be used to help control potential ENM risks. This book attempts to encompass the state of the science regarding physicochemical characterization of ENMs. It illuminates the effort to understand these properties and how they may be used to ensure safe ENM deployment in existing or future materials and products.

This book on Applied Clay Mineralogy is comprehensive. It covers the structure, composition, and physical and chemical properties of kaolinite, halloysite, ball clays; bentonites including sodium montmorillonite, calcium montmorillonite, and hectorite; and palygorskite and sepiolite. There is also a short chapter on common clays which are used for making structural clay products and lightweight aggregate. The location and geology of the major clay deposits that are marketed worldwide and regionally include kaolins from the United States, Southwest England, Brazil, and the Czech Republic along with halloysite from New Zealand and ball clays from the US, England, Germany, and Ukraine. Bentonites from the U.S. and Europe are included along with palygorskite and sepiolite from the U.S., China, Senegal, and Spain. The mining and processing of the various clays are described. Extensive discussions of the many applications of the clays are included. The appendices cover the important laboratory tests that are used to identify and evaluate the various types of clay. Many figures are included covering electron micrographs, processing flow sheets, stratigraphy, and location maps. * Provides the structure and composition of clay minerals, as well as their phyisical and chemical properties * Discusses pplications for Kaolin, Bentonite, Palygorskite and Sepiolite * Contains appendixes of laboratory tests and procedures, as well as a test for common clays

This book reviews the work in the field of nanoadsorbents derived from natural polymers, with a special emphasis on materials finding application in water remediation. It includes natural materials both with an organic or an inorganic skeleton, from which the nanomaterials can be made. Those nanomaterials can therefore be used to reinforce other matrices and in their pristine form have an extraordinary adsorption efficiency. Being of natural or biological origin, the materials described in this book distinguish themselves as eco-friendly and non-toxic. The book describes how these benefits of the described materials can be combined and exploited. It will thus appeal to chemists, nanotechnologists, environmental engineers and generally all scientist working in the field of water pollution and remediation as an inspiration for the innovation toward new technologies.

Nanopapers: From Nanochemistry and Nanomanufacturing to Advanced Applications gives a comprehensive overview of the emerging technology of nanopapers. Exploring the latest developments on nanopapers in nanomaterials chemistry and nanomanufacturing technologies, this book outlines the unique properties of nanopapers and their advanced applications. Nanopapers are thin sheets or films made of nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, nanoclays, cellulose nanofibrils, and graphene nanoplatelets. Noticeably, nanopapers allow highly concentrated nanoparticles to be tightly packed in a thin film to reach unique properties such as very high electrical and thermal conductivities, very low diffusivity, and strong corrosion resistance that are shared by conventional polymer nanocomposites. This book presents a concise introduction to nanopapers, covering concepts, terminology and applications. It outlines both current applications and future possibilities, and will be of great use to nanochemistry and nanomanufacturing researchers and engineers who want to learn more about how nanopapers can be applied. - Outlines the main uses of nanopapers, showing readers how this emerging technology should best be applied - Shows how the unique properties of nanopapers make them adaptable for use in a wide range of applications - Explores methods for the nanomanufacture of nanopapers

Since its discovery, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) has become a technique of choice for non-destructive surface characterization with sub-molecular resolution. The AFM has also emerged as a problem-solving tool in applications relevant to particle-solid and particle-liquid interactions, design, fabrication, and characterization of new materials, and development of new technologies for processing and modification of materials. This volume is a comprehensive review of AFM techniques and their application in adhesion studies. It is intended for both researchers and students in engineering disciplines, physics and biology. Over 100 authors contributed to this book, summarizing current status of research on measurements of colloidal particle-solid adhesion and molecular forces, solid surface imaging and mapping, and discussing the contact mechanics models applicable to particle-substrate and particle-particle systems.

In this day and age, it is unfortunate that the economic prosperity and development leads to disruption of the dynamic balance of the environment. The philosophy of sustainable development has been presented for a long period of time but it has not been able to bring about a substantial change in our society. The transformation of this philosophy into a practical reality seems to be far away – at least in the foreseeable future. In my opinion, the only way I see the revolution taking place is for us to incorporate ‘sustainability’ in our daily living and to keep pushing for a sustainable society. Meanwhile, we also need scientists to work on technologies that would lead us to that goal at a faster pace. Technologies that are ‘completely’ environmentally friendly are needed urgently. And if such technologies or ideas of one exists, a platform is required that showcases such ideas to the scientific and non-scientific audience. Through this book, I am happy to present the thoughts of seven different research groups whose work may lead us to the doorsteps of sustainable society. As scientists, most of us specialize in a sub-topic that may be related to one of the three environmental components – air, land, or water. Over a period of time, we become so engrossed with the sub-discipline of our specialization that we only have glimpses of what is happening in other disciplines.

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