IX
Preface
This book is really two books. It gives an introduction to the topics connected to
nanoparticles, nanocomposites, and nanomaterials on a descriptive level. Wherever it seems appropriate, some topics are explained in more detail in separate
boxes. It is not necessary to read these boxes; however, it may be interesting and
helpful to the reader.
This textbook is intended for persons wanting an introduction into the new and
exciting field of nanomaterials without having a formal education in science. It
discusses the whole range from nanoparticles to nanocomposites and finally nanomaterials, explaining the scientific background and some of the most important
applications. I want to provoke the reader’s curiosity; he/she should feel invited
to learn more about this topic, to apply nanomaterials and, may be, to go deeper
into this fascinating topic.
This book is an excerpt from the course on nanomaterials for engineers that I
give at the University of Technology in Graz, Austria and on the courses that
NanoConsulting organizes for participants from industry and academia. This book
is not written for scientists, so may be some physicists will feel unhappy about the
simplifications that I made to explain complicated quantum mechanical issues.
I want to apologize for the selection of examples from the literature, as my
selection of examples is, to some extent, unfair against those who discovered these
new phenomena. Unfortunately, when a new phenomenon was described for the
first time, the effect is only shown in principle. Later papers instead showed these
phenomena very clearly. Therefore, the examples from later publications seemed
more adequate for a textbook like this.
As the size of this book is limited, I had to make a selection of phenomena for
presentation. Unavoidably, this selection is influenced by personal experience and
preferences. I really apologize if a reader does not find information of interest for
themselves or their company.
It is an obligation for me to thank my family, in particular my wife Renate, for
her steady support during the time when I wrote this book and her enduring
understanding for my passion for science. Furthermore, I have to thank Dr. Waltraud Wüst from Wiley-VCH for her steady cooperation.
Dieter Vollath
Stutensee, June 2013
Preface
This book is really two books. It gives an introduction to the topics connected to
nanoparticles, nanocomposites, and nanomaterials on a descriptive level. Wherever it seems appropriate, some topics are explained in more detail in separate
boxes. It is not necessary to read these boxes; however, it may be interesting and
helpful to the reader.
This textbook is intended for persons wanting an introduction into the new and
exciting field of nanomaterials without having a formal education in science. It
discusses the whole range from nanoparticles to nanocomposites and finally nanomaterials, explaining the scientific background and some of the most important
applications. I want to provoke the reader’s curiosity; he/she should feel invited
to learn more about this topic, to apply nanomaterials and, may be, to go deeper
into this fascinating topic.
This book is an excerpt from the course on nanomaterials for engineers that I
give at the University of Technology in Graz, Austria and on the courses that
NanoConsulting organizes for participants from industry and academia. This book
is not written for scientists, so may be some physicists will feel unhappy about the
simplifications that I made to explain complicated quantum mechanical issues.
I want to apologize for the selection of examples from the literature, as my
selection of examples is, to some extent, unfair against those who discovered these
new phenomena. Unfortunately, when a new phenomenon was described for the
first time, the effect is only shown in principle. Later papers instead showed these
phenomena very clearly. Therefore, the examples from later publications seemed
more adequate for a textbook like this.
As the size of this book is limited, I had to make a selection of phenomena for
presentation. Unavoidably, this selection is influenced by personal experience and
preferences. I really apologize if a reader does not find information of interest for
themselves or their company.
It is an obligation for me to thank my family, in particular my wife Renate, for
her steady support during the time when I wrote this book and her enduring
understanding for my passion for science. Furthermore, I have to thank Dr. Waltraud Wüst from Wiley-VCH for her steady cooperation.
Dieter Vollath
Stutensee, June 2013