Efficiency and life time of solar cells, energy and power density of the batteries, and costs of the fuel cells alike cannot be improved unless the complex electronic, optoelectronic, and ionic mechanisms underpinning operation of these materials and devices are understood on the nanometer level of individual defects. Only by probing these phenomena locally can we hope to link materials structure and functionality, thus opening pathway for predictive modeling and synthesis. While structures of these materials are now accessible on length scales from macroscopic to atomic, their functionality has remained Terra Incognitae. In this volume, we provide a summary of recent advances in scanning probe microscopy studies of local functionality of energy materials and devices ranging from photovoltaics to batteries, fuel cells, and energy harvesting systems. Recently emergent SPM modes and combined SPM-electron microscopy approaches are also discussed. Contributions by internationally renowned leaders in the field describe the frontiers in this important field.

Efficiency and life time of solar cells, energy and power density of the batteries, and costs of the fuel cells alike cannot be improved unless the complex electronic, optoelectronic, and ionic mechanisms underpinning operation of these materials and devices are understood on the nanometer level of individual defects. Only by probing these phenomena locally can we hope to link materials structure and functionality, thus opening pathway for predictive modeling and synthesis. While structures of these materials are now accessible on length scales from macroscopic to atomic, their functionality has remained Terra Incognitae. In this volume, we provide a summary of recent advances in scanning probe microscopy studies of local functionality of energy materials and devices ranging from photovoltaics to batteries, fuel cells, and energy harvesting systems. Recently emergent SPM modes and combined SPM-electron microscopy approaches are also discussed. Contributions by internationally renowned leaders in the field describe the frontiers in this important field.

Global warming, pollution, food and water shortage, cyberspace insecurity, over-population, land erosion, and an overburdened health care system are major issues facing the human race and our planet. These challenges have presented a mandate to develop “natural” or “green” technologies using nature and the living system as a guide to rationally design processes, devices, and systems. This approach has given rise to a new paradigm, one in which innovation goes hand-in-hand with less waste, less pollution, and less invasiveness to life on earth. Bioinspiration has also led to the development of technologies that mimic the hierarchical complexity of biological systems, leading to novel highly efficient, more reliable multifunctional materials, devices, and systems that can perform multiple tasks at one time. This multi-volume handbook focuses on the application of biomimetics and bioinspiration in medicine and engineering to produce miniaturized multi-functional materials, devices, and systems to perform complex tasks. Our understanding of complex biological systems at different length scales has increased dramatically as our ability to observe nature has expanded from macro to molecular scale, leading to the rational biologically-driven design to find solution to technological problems in medicine and engineering.The following three-volume set covers the fields of bioinspired materials, electromechanical systems developed from concepts inspired by nature, and tissue models respectively.The first volume focuses on the rational design of nano- and micro-structured hierarchical materials inspired by the relevant characteristics in living systems, such as the self-cleaning ability of lotus leaves and cicadas' wings; the superior walking ability of water striders; the anti-fogging function of mosquitoes' eyes; the water-collecting ability of Namib Desert Beetles and spider silk; the high adhesivity of geckos' feet and rose petals; the high adhesivity of mussels in wet aquatic environments; the anisotropic wetting of butterflies' wings; the anti-reflection capabilities of cicadas' wings; the self-cleaning functionality of fish scales; shape anisotropy of intracellular particles; the dielectric properties of muscles; the light spectral characteristics of plant leaves; the regeneration and self-healing ability of earthworms; the self-repairing ability of lotus leaves; the broadband reflectivity of moths' eyes; the multivalent binding, self-assembly and responsiveness of cellular systems; the biomineral formation in bacteria, plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates; the multi-layer structure of skin; the organization of tissue fibers; DNA structures with metal-mediated artificial base pairs; and the anisotropic microstructure of jellyfish mesogloea. In this volume, sensor and microfluidic technologies combined with surface patterning are explored for the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases. The high throughput combinatorial testing of biomaterials in regenerative medicine is also covered.The second volume presents nature-oriented studies and developments in the field of electromechanical devices and systems. These include actuators and robots based on the movement of muscles, algal antenna and photoreception; the non-imaging light sensing system of sea stars; the optical system of insect ocellus; smart nanochannels and pumps in cell membranes; neuromuscular and sensory devices that mimic the architecture of peripheral nervous system; olfaction-based odor sensing; cilia-mimetic microfluidic systems; the infrared sensory system of pyrophilous insects; ecologically inspired multizone temperature control systems; cochlea and surface acoustic wave resonators; crickets' cercal system and flow sensing abilities; locusts' wings and flapping micro air vehicles; the visual motion sensing of flying insects; hearing aid devices based on the human cochlea; the geometric perception of tortoises and pigeons; the organic matter sensing capability of cats and dogs; and the silent flight of rats. The third volume features engineered models of biological tissues. These include engineered matrices to mimic cancer stem cell niches; in vitro models for bone regeneration; models of muscle tissue that enable the study of cardiac infarction and myopathy; 3D models for the differentiation of embryonic stem cells; bioreactors for in vitro cultivation of mammalian cells; human lung, liver and heart tissue models; topographically-defined cell culture models; ECM mimetic tissue printing; biomimetic constructs for regeneration of soft tissues; and engineered constructs for the regeneration of musculoskeletal and corneal tissue.This three-volume set is a must-have for anyone keen to understand the complexity of biological systems and how that complexity can be mimicked to engineer novel materials, devices and systems to solve pressing technological challenges of the twenty-first century.Key Features:The only handbook that covers all aspects of biomimetics and bioinspiration, including materials, mechanics, signaling and informaticsContains 248 colored figures

As the characteristic dimensions of electronic devices continue to shrink, the ability to characterize their electronic properties at the nanometer scale has come to be of outstanding importance. In this sense, Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) is becoming an indispensable tool, playing a key role in nanoscience and nanotechnology. SPM is opening new opportunities to measure semiconductor electronic properties with unprecedented spatial resolution. SPM is being successfully applied for nanoscale characterization of ferroelectric thin films. In the area of functional molecular materials it is being used as a probe to contact molecular structures in order to characterize their electrical properties, as a manipulator to assemble nanoparticles and nanotubes into simple devices, and as a tool to pattern molecular nanostructures. This book provides in-depth information on new and emerging applications of SPM to the field of materials science, namely in the areas of characterisation, device application and nanofabrication of functional materials. Starting with the general properties of functional materials the authors present an updated overview of the fundamentals of Scanning Probe Techniques and the application of SPM techniques to the characterization of specified functional materials such as piezoelectric and ferroelectric and to the fabrication of some nano electronic devices. Its uniqueness is in the combination of the fundamental nanoscale research with the progress in fabrication of realistic nanodevices. By bringing together the contribution of leading researchers from the materials science and SPM communities, relevant information is conveyed that allows researchers to learn more about the actual developments in SPM applied to functional materials. This book will contribute to the continuous education and development in the field of nanotechnology.

The field of pore scale phenomena is now emerging as one of the frontiers of science and many engineering disciplines. Transport phenomena in the subsurface of the earth play key roles in the energy and environmental domains. For example, the shale gas and oil boom is revolutionizing the world's energy portfolio. Pore scale phenomena from the nanoscale to mesoscale dominate the extraction of these resources. Similarly in the environmental domain, pore storage and pore-scale physics affect the availability of water resources and protecting its quality. Water flow and vapor transport in the pores near the land surface is critical to understanding soil water evaporation in the context of local and global hydrologic cycles affecting climate and climate change.Pore scale phenomena similarly play critical roles in the domain of materials science and biology. For example, many energy devices and membrane technologies are controlled by the physical and chemical properties of the pores. Identifying and analyzing the properties of these pores has emerged as a frontier of characterization science.This book provides, for the first time, a comprehensive overview of the fascinating interrelationship between engineering and science. The authors and contributors are recognized experts from the faculty of the Colorado School of Mines, Northwestern and Stanford. This book will appeal to earth and environmental scientists, materials scientists, physicists and chemists.

self-assembly and responsiveness of cellular systems; the biomineral formation in bacteria, plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates; the multi-layer structure of skin; the organization of tissue fibers; DNA structures with metal-mediated artificial base pairs; and the anisotropic microstructure of jellyfish mesogloea. In this volume, sensor and microfluidic technologies combined with surface patterning are explored for the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases. The high throughput combinatorial testing of biomaterials in regenerative medicine is also covered. The second volume presents nature-oriented studies and developments in the field of electromechanical devices and systems.

Molecular bioelectronics is a field in strong evolution at the frontier of life and materials sciences. The term is utilized in a broad context to emphasize a unique blend of electronics and biotechnology which is seen as the best way to achieve many objectives of industrial and scientific relevance, including biomolecular engineering, bioelectronic devices, materials and sensors capable of optimal hardware efficiency and intelligence and molecular miniaturization.

'This is one of the best available graduate-level textbooks on electronic transport at the nanoscale. Its unique feature is providing a thorough and completely self-contained treatment of several theoretical formalisms for treating the transport problem. As such, the book is useful not only for the graduate students working in the field of nanoscale electrical transport, but also for the researchers who wish to expand their knowledge of various fundamental issues associated with this rapidly developing field. Of particular note are deep physical insights accompanying the rigorous mathematical derivations in each of the chapters, as well as the clear statement of all the approximations involved in a particular theoretical formalism. This winning combination makes the book very accessible to a reader with basic knowledge of quantum mechanics, solid state theory and thermodynamics/statistical mechanics. I give this book the highest recommendation.' [Read Full Review]Serfei A EgorovUniveristy of Virginia, USAThis book is aimed at senior undergraduates, graduate students and researchers interested in quantitative understanding and modeling of nanomaterial and device physics. With the rapid slow-down of semiconductor scaling that drove information technology for decades, there is a pressing need to understand and model electron flow at its fundamental molecular limits. The purpose of this book is to enable such a deconstruction needed to design the next generation memory, logic, sensor and communication elements. Through numerous case studies and topical examples relating to emerging technology, this book connects 'top down' classical device physics taught in electrical engineering classes with 'bottom up' quantum and many-body transport physics taught in physics and chemistry. The book assumes no more than a nodding acquaintance with quantum mechanics, in addition to knowledge of freshman level mathematics. Segments of this book are useful as a textbook for a course in nano-electronics.

Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) is the enabling tool for nano(bio)technology, which has opened new vistas in many interdisciplinary research areas. Concomitant with the developments in SPM instrumentation and techniques are new and previously unthought-of opportunities in materials nanofabrication and characterisation. In particular, the developments in addressing and manipulating matter at the level of single atoms or molecules, and studies of biological materials (e.g. live cells, or cell membranes) result in new and exciting discoveries. The rising importance of SPM demands a concise treatment in the form of a book which is accessible to interdisciplinary practitioners. This book highlights recent advances in the field of SPM with sufficient depth and breadth to provide an intellectually stimulating overview of the current state of the art. The book is based on a set of carefully selected original works from renowned contributors on topics that range from atom technology, scanning tunneling spectroscopy of self-assembled nanostructures, SPM probe fabrication, scanning force microscopy applications in biology and materials science down to the single molecule level, novel scanning probe techniques, and nanolithography. The variety of topics underlines the strong interdisciplinary character of SPM related research and the combined expertise of the contributors gives us a unique opportunity to discuss possible future trends in SPM related research. This makes the book not merely a collection of already published material but an enlightening insight into cutting edge research and global SPM research trends.

The book highlights recent prominent results in the domain of the synthesis of new polyoxometalates with a specific attention to polyoxothioanions, and provides some novelties and perspectives in selected domains such as magnetism, luminescence and nanochemistry, and macroions self-assembly in solutions. The case of “one-pot” syntheses often used and reported in POMs synthesis is studied in terms of more complex solution speciation processes related to highly dynamical situation connected to factors such as pH, ionic strength, reaction time, temperature, counterion nature, concentration of starting materials, presence of electron donors and redox potentials. The behavior of macroions (2nm-6nm size range) in solution is shown to be quite different from the simple ionic solution or colloidal systems (Debye-Huckel model). Their self-assembling into a single-layered, spherical, hollow vesicle structure, namely the “blackberry” structure, is clearly described. Examples of spin clusters with tunable interactions are given and single molecule magnets based on POMs are specifically tackled. Besides paramagnetic transition metal centres and lanthanoid ions encapsulated in archetypal lacunary polyoxoanions, magnetically functionalized Kleperates are described, their discovery tracing back nearly 15 years.