Sol-gel processing is a soft-chemistry method to obtain functional materials at low temperatures. This route can be used to produce very sophisticated nanomaterials and to tailor the materials to very specific applications. Adsorption and detection of pollutants, water purification and soil remediation represent challenging fields of application that can be exploited by sol-gel materials. In this volume several contributions from invited speakers and participants at the NATO advanced research workshop on "Sol-gel approaches to materials for pollution control, water purification and soil remediation", which has been held in Kiev, Ukraine on October 2007, are reported. The book offers a wide and updated overview of the most advanced sol-gel methods for materials processing and at the same time presents several case studies concerning possible solutions for environmental issues. General articles on sol-gel from the invited speakers and focused research articles allow getting inside sol-gel applications on this very important field.

Since Dr. Disiich of Germany prepared a glass lens by the sol-gel method around 1970, sol-gel science and technology has continued to develop. Since then this field has seen remarkable technical developments as well as a broadening of the applications of sol-gel science and technology. There is a growing need for a comprehensive reference that treats both the fundamentals and the applications, and this is the aim of "Handbook of Sol-Gel Science and Technology."The primary purpose of sol-gel science and technology is to produce materials, active and non-active including optical, electronic, chemical, sensor, bio- and structural materials. This means that sol-gel science and technology is related to all kinds of manufacturing industries. Thus Volume 1, "Sol-Gel Processing," is devoted to general aspects of processing. Newly developed materials such as organic-inorganic hybrids, photonic crystals, ferroelectric coatings, photocatalysts will be covered. Topics in this volume include: Volume 2, "Characterization of Sol-Gel Materials and Products, "highlights the important fact that useful materials are only produced when characterization is tied to processing. Furthermore, characterization is essential to the understanding of nanostructured materials, and sol-gel technology is a most important technology in this new field. Since nanomaterials display their functional property based on their nano- and micro-structure, "characterization" is very important. Topics found in Volume 2 include: Sol-gel technology is a versatile technology, making it possible to produce a wide variety of materials and to provide existing substances with novel properties. This technology was applied to producingnovel materials, for example organic-inorganic hybrids, which are quite difficult to make by other fabricating techniques, and it was also applied to producing materials based on high temperature superconducting oxides. "Applications of Sol-Gel Technology," (Volume 3), will cover applications such as:

Since Dr. Disiich of Germany prepared a glass lens by the sol-gel method around 1970, sol-gel science and technology has continued to develop. Since then this field has seen remarkable technical developments as well as a broadening of the applications of sol-gel science and technology. There is a growing need for a comprehensive reference that treats both the fundamentals and the applications, and this is the aim of "Handbook of Sol-Gel Science and Technology."The primary purpose of sol-gel science and technology is to produce materials, active and non-active including optical, electronic, chemical, sensor, bio- and structural materials. This means that sol-gel science and technology is related to all kinds of manufacturing industries. Thus Volume 1, "Sol-Gel Processing," is devoted to general aspects of processing. Newly developed materials such as organic-inorganic hybrids, photonic crystals, ferroelectric coatings, photocatalysts will be covered. Topics in this volume include: Volume 2, "Characterization of Sol-Gel Materials and Products, "highlights the important fact that useful materials are only produced when characterization is tied to processing. Furthermore, characterization is essential to the understanding of nanostructured materials, and sol-gel technology is a most important technology in this new field. Since nanomaterials display their functional property based on their nano- and micro-structure, "characterization" is very important. Topics found in Volume 2 include: Sol-gel technology is a versatile technology, making it possible to produce a wide variety of materials and to provide existing substances with novel properties. This technology was applied to producingnovel materials, for example organic-inorganic hybrids, which are quite difficult to make by other fabricating techniques, and it was also applied to producing materials based on high temperature superconducting oxides. "Applications of Sol-Gel Technology," (Volume 3), will cover applications such as:

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.

Nanomaterials: Synthesis, Properties and Applications provides a comprehensive introduction to nanomaterials, from how to make them to example properties, processing techniques, and applications. Contributions by leading international researchers and teachers in academic, government, and industrial institutions in nanomaterials provide an accessible guide for newcomers to the field. The coverage ranges from isolated clusters and small particles to nanostructured materials, multilayers, and nanoelectronics. The book contains a wealth of references for further reading. Individual chapters deal with relevant aspects of the underlying physics, materials science, and physical chemistry.

This collection of papers focus on advanced methods for predicting and avoiding the occurrence of defects in manufactured products. A new feature is included, namely, the influence of the processing-induced defects on the integrity of structures.The following topics are developed: damage modeling; damage evaluation and rupture; strain localization and instability analysis; formability characterization; prediction of shape inaccuracies; influence of defects on structural integrity. The main manufacturing operations are covered and various materials are examined, such as new and conventional metal alloys, ceramics, polymers and composites.

This completely updated and expanded second edition stands as a comprehensive knowledgebase on both the fundamentals and applications of this important materials processing method. The diverse, international team of contributing authors of this reference clarify in extensive detail properties and applications of sol-gel science and technology as it pertains to the production of substances, active and non-active, including optical, electronic, chemical, sensor, bio- and structural materials. Essential to a wide range of manufacturing industries, the compilation divides into the three complementary sections: Sol-Gel Processing, devoted to general aspects of processing and recently developed materials such as organic-inorganic hybrids, photonic crystals, ferroelectric coatings, and photocatalysts; Characterization of Sol-Gel Materials and Products, presenting contributions that highlight the notion that useful materials are only produced when characterization is tied to processing, such as determination of structure by NMR, in-situ characterization of the sol-gel reaction process, determination of microstructure of oxide gels, characterization of porous structure of gels by the surface measurements, and characterization of organic-inorganic hybrid; and Applications of Sol-Gel Technology, covering applications such as the sol-gel method used in processing of bulk silica glasses, bulk porous gels prepared by sol-gel method, application of sol-gel method to fabrication of glass and ceramic fibers, reflective and antireflective coating films, application of sol-gel method to formation of photocatalytic coating films, and application of sol-gel method to bioactive coating films. The comprehensive scope and integrated treatment of topics make this reference volume ideal for R&D scientists and engineers across a wide range of disciplines and professional interests.

During my professional career, I developed a strong interest in sol-gel technology, and worked on both xerogel and aerogel systems. My fascination with aerogels has driven me to explore their commercial potential, which is currently an important component of my company's business plan. Together with my co-workers, I have also worked on the preparation of controlled PZT and silica xerogels as well as thin film coatings of metals by the sol-gel technology, These experiences convinced me of the tremendous potentials of this technology. A conviction that is shared by many scientists, engineers, and business leaders around the globe. Many sol-gel derived products are already articles of commerce. However, to expand the commercial potential of sol-gel technology, two challenges must be met: (1) the quality of sol-gel derived products must continue to meet or exceed the quality of competing products, (2) the production cost of sol-gel products (specially aerogels) must continued to decline. A key to lowering the costs of sol-gel products is finding inexpensive precursors.

This book presents a broad, general introduction to the processing of Sol-Gel technologies. This updated volume serves as a general handbook for researchers and students entering the field. This new edition provides updates in fields that have undergone rapid developments, such as Ceramics, Catalysis, Chromatropgraphy, biomaterials, glass science, and optics. It provides a simple, compact resource that can also be used in graduate-level materials science courses.

Covering the physical and numerical modeling of materials processing, this book includes contributions across the range of metals and minerals. This collection offers a unique opportunity to present models and results for key processes involved in extraction, joining, separation, and casting of materials. The corresponding fundamentals of mass and heat transport as well as physical and thermodynamics properties are addressed, allowing for a cross-disciplinary vision of the field.