Metal oxides, oxyhydroxides and related materials comprise the bulk of this planet's crust. They provide precursors for the manufacture of ceramics, catalysts and metals. Understandably, the aqueous chemistry and geochemistry of these materials are of critical importance to industry and society as a whole. This book provides a highly interdisciplinary forum for scientists and engineers to present recent work related to the synthesis, processing and application of oxides and related materials in aqueous environments. It focuses on solution chemistry, modelling, and new and traditional characterization techniques. In addition, the book highlights applications where aqueous synthesis and processing routes provide a potential advantage over other methods and where the water/solid interface chemistry is exploited directly. The underlying science of these topics is generic to studies being carried out in a broad spectrum of disciplines. Topics include: phase stability, bonding and surface structure; solubility, speciation and colloid fundamentals; precipitation and hydrothermal synthesis; surface complexes and speciation; corrosion and dissolution; and template synthesis and organic interactions.

The Aqueous Chemistry of Oxides is a comprehensive reference volume and special topics textbook that explores all of the major chemical reactions that take place between oxides and aqueous solutions. The book highlights the enormous impact that oxide-water reactions have in advanced technologies, materials science, geochemistry, and environmental science.

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High-temperature ceramic fibers are the key components of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). Ceramic fiber properties (strength, temperature and creep resistance, for example)-along with the debonding characteristics of their coatings-determine the properties of CMCs. This report outlines the state of the art in high-temperature ceramic fibers and coatings, assesses fibers and coatings in terms of future needs, and recommends promising avenues of research. CMCs are also discussed in this report to provide a context for discussing high-temperature ceramic fibers and coatings.

High-temperature ceramic fibers are the key components of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). Ceramic fiber properties (strength, temperature and creep resistance, for example)-along with the debonding characteristics of their coatings-determine the properties of CMCs. This report outlines the state of the art in high-temperature ceramic fibers and coatings, assesses fibers and coatings in terms of future needs, and recommends promising avenues of research. CMCs are also discussed in this report to provide a context for discussing high-temperature ceramic fibers and coatings.

Volume 49 of Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry reviews the state of the art of synchrotron radiation applications in low temperature geochemistry and environmental science, and offer speculations on future developments. The reader of this volume will acquire an appreciation of the theory and applications of synchrotron radiation in low temperature geochemistry and environmental science, as well as the significant advances that have been made in this area in the past two decades. It gives a fairly comprehensive overview of synchrotron radiation applications in low temperature geochemistry and environmental science, describes the ways that synchrotron radiation is generated, including a history of synchrotrons and a discussion of aspects of synchrotron radiation that are important to the experimentalist, describes specific synchrotron methods that are most useful for single-crystal surface and mineral-fluid interface studies as well as methods that can be used more generally for investigating complex polyphase fine-grained or amorphous materials, including soils, rocks, and organic matter.

The precipitation of metal oxides from aqueous solutions creates nanoparticles with interesting solid state properties, thus building a bridge between solution chemistry and solid state chemistry. This book is the first monograph to deal with the formation of metal oxides from aqueous solutions with emphasis on the formation and physical chemistry of nanoparticles. Metal Oxide Chemistry and Synthesis: From Solution to Solid State * Provides a comprehensive introduction to the synthesis of finely divided materials * Presents the chemistry, physics and applications of these materials * Builds a bridge between classical solution chemistry and new developments in solid state chemistry * Introduces an important new area in inorganic chemistry Part I examines the mechanism of condensation of aqueous cations leading to polynuclear species or lattices, and rationalizes the behaviour of cations in precipitation phenomena by identifying pathways from soluble species to solids. The cation complex is also analysed in relation to the synthesis of some technologically interesting polymetallic oxides, e.g. ferroelectric, ferrimagnetic and supraconductor materials. Part II is devoted to the surface chemistry of oxide particles. The basic concepts relating to the reactivity of the oxide-solution interface are introduced and applied to various adsorption phenomena, such as aggregation, stability of particle size against ripening, etc. These properties are exploited for the synthesis of nanomaterials for a broad range of applictions such as ceramic powders, catalysts and nanocomposites. This will also be of interest to those wishing to understand geochemical and some biological processes. As well as being invaluable to researchers and postgraduate students of inorganic chemistry, this book will also be appreciated by solid-state chemists, materials scientists and colloid chemists with an interest in metal oxides.

Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on the Application of Natural Microporous Materials for Environmental Technology, Smolenice Castle, Slovakia, 26-30 October 1998