Sol-Gel Techniques for Glass Producers and Users provides technological information, descriptions and characterizations of prototypes, or products already on the market, and illustrates advantages and disadvantages of the sol-gel process in comparison to other methods. The first chapter entitled "Wet Chemical Technology" gives a summary of the basic principles of the sol-gel chemistry. The most promising applications are related to coatings. Chapter 2 describes the various "Wet Chemical Coating Technologies" from glass cleaning to many deposition and post-coating treatment techniques. These include patterning of coatings through direct or indirect techniques which have became very important and for which the sol-gel processing is particularly well adapted. Chapter 3 entitled "Bulk Glass Technologies" reports on the preparation of special glasses for different applications. Chapter 4 entitled "Coatings and Materials Properties" describes the properties of the different coatings and the sol-gel materials, fibers and powders. The chapter also includes a section dedicated to the characterization techniques especially applied to sol-gel coatings and products.

Sol-Gel Processing for Conventional and Alternative Energy is a comprehensive source of information on the use of sol-gel processing in materials in energy systems, conversion, storage, and generation. The volume editors include numerous applications, primarily in nuclear fuel processing, electrolytes for fuel cells, and dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). In addition to examining contemporary processing, properties, and industrial applications, "Sol-Gel Processing for Conventional and Alternative Energy" identifies materials challenges presented by conventional and alternative energy generation that require new materials and innovative processing. Each chapter is written by an internationally respected researcher. The book provides a state-of-the-art treatment of different aspects of materials for energy production, with a focus on processing, and covers related topics such as carbon sequestration, clean energy, and biofuels.

This book focuses on the growth of nanomaterials as thin films. It covers the recent development of thin films using different techniques, such as electrodeposition. It also discusses the widespread use of electrochemical and magnetic applications. This book brings together multidisciplinary chapters written by leading specialists in the field.

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.

Chemical sensors are in high demand for applications as varied as water pollution detection, medical diagnostics, and battlefield air analysis. Designing the next generation of sensors requires an interdisciplinary approach. The book provides a critical analysis of new opportunities in sensor materials research that have been opened up with the use of combinatorial and high-throughput technologies, with emphasis on experimental techniques. For a view of component selection with a more computational perspective, readers may refer to the complementary volume of Integrated Analytical Systems edited by M. Ryan et al., entitled “Computational Methods for Sensor Material Selection”.

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:

Emerging Fields in Sol-gel Science and Technology contains selected papers from the symposium on "Sol-Gel and Vitreous Materials and Applications" held during the International Materials Research Congress in Cancún, México in August 2002. One hundred and twenty researchers representing 10 countries attended this symposium. Some of the subjects covered in this symposium include 1.) synthesis of new materials endowed with outstanding and non-conventional optical, magnetic, electrical, thermal, catalytic, and mechanical properties; 2.) study of the sorption properties of model porous materials in order to test the validity of previous and recent theories; 3.) theoretical studies related to density functional theory, fractal and scaling law approaches, 4.) synthesis of biomaterials for use in medicine and pollution control; 5.) application of sol-gel colloids in the fine-chemistry industry in products such as fragrances and pharmaceuticals; 6.) development of special vitreous materials; 7.) implementation of inorganic thin films, and 8.) synthesis of materials for energy saving.