This book provides an overview of functional membranes for efficient ion/molecule transfer and separation. It first presents the design, fabrication, structure, and performance of several kinds of membranes. Then, the application of membrane technology in organic solvent nanofiltration, hydrogen fuel cells, and solid-state lithium batteries is introduced. Furthermore, the book proposes strategies of strengthening the ion/molecular-level separation and transfer process in membrane processes. It also analyzes the development status, existing problems, and optimization methods in the field of membranes and membrane processes. Finally, it highlights the construction strategy of membrane structures, the structure–performance relationships as well as the transfer and separation mechanisms. The target group of this book is academics and researchers in materials science, chemical engineering, biomedical engineering, and other related fields.

Membranes play an enormous role in our life. Biological cell membranes control the fluxes of substances in and out of cells. Artificial membranes are widely used in numerous applications including “green” separation processes in chemistry, agroindustry, biology, medicine; they are used as well in energy generation from renewable sources. They largely mimic the structure and functions of biological membranes. The similarity in the structure leads to the similarity in the properties and the approaches to study the laws governing the behavior of both biological and artificial membranes. In this book, some physico-chemical and chemico-physical aspects of the structure and behavior of biological and artificial membranes are investigated.

Written by a dedicated lecturer and leading membrane scientist, who has worked both in academia and industry, this advanced textbook provides an impressive overview of all aspects of membranes and their applications. Together with numerous industrial case studies, practical examples and questions, the book provides an excellent and comprehensive introduction to the topic. Advanced students as well as process and chemical engineers working in industry will profit from this resource. A significant feature of the book is the treatment of more recently developed membranes and their applications in energy conversion, biomedical components, controlled release devices and environmental engineering with an indication of the present and future commercial impact. The solutions to the questions in the book can be found under http://www.wiley-vch.de/publish/en/books/ISBN3-537-32451-8/ From the Contents: * Introduction * Fundamentals * Membrane Preparation and Characterization * Principles of Membrane Separation Processes * Membrane Modules and Concentration Polarization * Membrane Process Design and Operation

Membrane technology has received great popularity in many industrial sectors and significantly enhanced our abilities to restructure production processes, protect the environment and public health, and provide competitive strategies for separation and purification. However, the need for sustainable development has imposed new targets for this technology, such as more effective/precise separation and stricter admissible limits for the discharge of contaminants into the environment. Focusing on hot topic environment-related applications, Advances in Functional Separation Membranes introduces emerging membranes nanoengineered with attractive functions and discusses their key features. It also provides a comprehensive guide to various design strategies for such functional membranes, making it useful reference for environmental chemists and membrane engineers alike.

The second edition of "Analytical Methods in Supramolecular Chemistry" comes in two volumes and covers a broad range of modern methods and techniques now used for investigating supramolecular systems, e. g. NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, extraction methods, crystallography, single molecule spectroscopy, electrochemisty, and many more. In this second edition, tutorial inserts have been introduced, making the book also suitable as supplementary reading for courses on supramolecular chemistry. All chapters have been revised and updated and four new chapters have been added. A must-have handbook for Organic and Analytical Chemists, Spectroscopists, Materials Scientists, and Ph.D. Students in Chemistry. From reviews of the first edition: "This timely book should have its place in laboratories dealing with supramolecular objects. It will be a source of reference for graduate students and more experienced researchers and could induce new ideas on the use of techniques other than those usually used in the laboratory." Journal of the American Chemical Society (2008) VOL. 130, NO. 1 doi: 10.1021/ja0769649 "The book as a whole or single chapters will stimulate the reader to widen his horizon in chemistry and will help him to have new ideas in his research." Anal Bioanal Chem (2007) 389:2039-2040 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-007-1677-1

This presentation describes various aspects of the regulation of tissue oxygenation, including the roles of the circulatory system, respiratory system, and blood, the carrier of oxygen within these components of the cardiorespiratory system. The respiratory system takes oxygen from the atmosphere and transports it by diffusion from the air in the alveoli to the blood flowing through the pulmonary capillaries. The cardiovascular system then moves the oxygenated blood from the heart to the microcirculation of the various organs by convection, where oxygen is released from hemoglobin in the red blood cells and moves to the parenchymal cells of each tissue by diffusion. Oxygen that has diffused into cells is then utilized in the mitochondria to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency of all cells. The mitochondria are able to produce ATP until the oxygen tension or PO2 on the cell surface falls to a critical level of about 4–5 mm Hg. Thus, in order to meet the energetic needs of cells, it is important to maintain a continuous supply of oxygen to the mitochondria at or above the critical PO2 . In order to accomplish this desired outcome, the cardiorespiratory system, including the blood, must be capable of regulation to ensure survival of all tissues under a wide range of circumstances. The purpose of this presentation is to provide basic information about the operation and regulation of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, as well as the properties of the blood and parenchymal cells, so that a fundamental understanding of the regulation of tissue oxygenation is achieved.

This volume of Current Topics in Membranes focuses on Membrane Protein Crystallization, beginning with a review of past successes and general trends, then further discussing challenges of mebranes protein crystallization, cell free production of membrane proteins and novel lipids for membrane protein crystallization. This publication also includes tools to enchance membrane protein crystallization, technique advancements, and crystallization strategies used for photosystem I and its complexes, establishing Membrane Protein Crystallization as a needed, practical reference for researchers.

Smart membranes that respond to environmental stimuli are gaining attention because of their potential use in a variety of applications, from drug delivery to water treatment. Their surface characteristics and/or permeation properties, including pressure-driven hydraulic permeability and concentration-driven diffusional permeability, can be adjusted in response to small chemical and/or physical stimuli in the environment. This book will cover topics such as novel design and fabrication strategies, approaches for controlling structure and performance, as well as cutting-edge applications of smart membranes. It will deliver new insights and fundamentals for both professionals and newcomers in related fields. Edited by an internationally renowned expert and with contributions from key researchers, Smart Membranes provides a comprehensive overview of the topic. It will appeal to students and researchers across materials science, chemistry, chemical engineering, pharmaceutical science and biomedical science.

Endocytosis is a fundamental cellular process by means of which cells internalize extracellular and plasma membrane cargos for recycling or degradation. It is important for the establishment and maintenance of cell polarity, subcellular signaling and uptake of nutrients into specialized cells, but also for plant cell interactions with pathogenic and symbiotic microbes. Endocytosis starts by vesicle formation at the plasma membrane and progresses through early and late endosomal compartments. In these endosomes cargo is sorted and it is either recycled back to the plasma membrane, or degraded in the lytic vacuole. This book presents an overview of our current knowledge of endocytosis in plants with a main focus on the key molecules undergoing and regulating endocytosis. It also provides up to date methodological approaches as well as principles of protein, structural lipid, sugar and microbe internalization in plant cells. The individual chapters describe clathrin-mediated and fluid-phase endocytosis, as well as flotillin-mediated endocytosis and internalization of microbes. The book was written for a broad spectrum of readers including students, teachers and researchers.