This book develops the thesis that structure and function in a variety of condensed systems - from the atomic assemblies in inorganic frameworks and organic molecules, through molecular self-assemblies to proteins - can be unified when curvature and surface geometry are taken together with molecular shape and forces. An astonishing variety of synthetic and biological assemblies can be accurately modelled and understood in terms of hyperbolic surfaces, whose richness and beauty are only now...

In Nucleation in Condensed Matter, key theoretical models for nucleation are developed and experimental data are used to discuss their range of validity. A central aim of this book is to enable the reader, when faced with a phenomenon in which nucleation appears to play a role, to determine whether nucleation is indeed important and to develop a quantitative and predictive description of the nucleation behavior. The third section of the book examines nucleation processes in practical situa...

Chemists are used to the operational definition of symmetry, which crystallographers introduced long before the advent of quantum mechanics. The ball-and-stick models of molecules naturally exhibit the symmetrical properties of macroscopic objects. However, the practitioner of quantum chemistry and molecular modeling is not concerned with balls and sticks, but with subatomic particles: nuclei and electrons.This textbook introduces the subtle metaphors which relate our macroscopic u...

Now in paperback, this book provides an overview of the physics of condensed matter systems. Assuming a familiarity with the basics of quantum mechanics and statistical mechanics, the book establishes a general framework for describing condensed phases of matter, based on symmetries and conservation laws. It explores the role of spatial dimensionality and microscopic interactions in determining the nature of phase transitions, as well as discussing the structure and properties of materials...

Translational motion in solution, either diffusion or fluid flow, is at the heart of chemical and biochemical reactivity. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) provides a powerful non-invasive technique for studying the phenomena using magnetic field gradient methods. Describing the physical basis of measurement techniques, with particular emphasis on diffusion, balancing theory with experimental observations and assuming little mathematical knowledge, this is a strong, yet accessible, introduc...

Hydrogen bond (H-bond) effects are known: it makes sea water liquid, joins cellulose microfibrils in trees, shapes DNA into genes and polypeptide chains into wool, hair, muscles or enzymes. Its true nature is less known and we may still wonder why O-H...O bond energies range from less than 1 to more than 30 kcal/mol without apparent reason. This H-bond puzzle is re-examined here from its very beginning and presented as an inclusive compilation of experimental H-bond energies and geometries...

Originated from studies on steam engines, thermodynamics is formulated traditi- ally for homogeneous materials. Applying to condensed matters however, laws of thermodynamics have to be evaluated with respect to the structural detail. Foll- ing after Kirkwood’s chemical thermodynamics, the author’s attempt is to discuss lattice dynamics in crystalline states in light of the traditional laws. It is noted that lattice symmetry remains as implicit in crystalline states if assumed as homo- neou...

Ellipsometry is the method of choice to determine the properties of surfaces and thin films. It provides comprehensive and sensitive characterization in contactless and non-invasive measurements. This book gives a state-of-the-art survey of ellipsometric investigations of organic films and surfaces, from laboratory to synchrotron applications, with a special focus on in-situ use in processing environments and at solid-liquid interfaces. In conjunction with the development of functional org...

Discussing the electrospinning process, the book covers in great depth the current research interest in nanoscience and nanotechnology, especially electrospinning of polymer nanofibers. The main distinction of the proposed book from others devoted to the electrospinning process is in the consideration of the problem in question from the physical point of view. Focusing on physical aspects, the book contains physical basics regarding the unique features of electrospun polymer nanofibers and...

This book is a new edition of a classic text on experimental methods and instruments in surface science. It offers practical insight useful to chemists, physicists, and materials scientists working in experimental surface science. This enlarged second edition contains almost 300 descriptions of experimental methods. The more than 50 active areas with individual scientific and measurement concepts and activities relevant to each area are presented in this book. The key areas covered are: Va...

The series Topics in Current Chemistry presents critical reviews of the present and future trends in modern chemical research. The scope of coverage is all areas of chemical science including the interfaces with related disciplines such as biology, medicine and materials science. The goal of each thematic volume is to give the non-specialist reader, whether in academia or industry, a comprehensive insight into an area where new research is emerging which is of interest to a larger scientif...

Density functional theory (DFT) has blossomed in the past few decades into a powerful tool that is used by experimentalists and theoreticians alike. This book highlights the extensive contributions that the DFT-based OLCAO method has made to progress in this field, and it demonstrates its competitiveness for performing ab initio calculations on large and complex models of practical systems. A brief historical account and introduction to the elements of the theory set the stage for discussi...