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Book reviews |
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Journal of Materials Chemistry,
Volume 4,
Issue 8,
1994,
Page 1357-1358
J. R. G. Thorne,
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摘要:
J. MATER. CHEM., 1994, 4(8), 1357-1358 BOOK REVIEWS Spectroscopy of New Materials. Edited by R. J. H. Clark and R. E. Hester. Advances in Specfroscopy, Volume 22. Wiley, 1993. Pp. xx +340. ISBN 0-471 -9391 1-0. This book is very much a follow-on to ‘Spectroscopy of Advanced Materials’ (1991) volume 19 of the same series. Six more topics are treated here. Although some of the subject matter was contained in the earlier volume, the different perspectives and level of speciality make this not unwelcome. The first chapter is a general exposition of the wide variety of non-linear optical phenomena, both second- and third- order, exhibited by organic and inorganic systems. It should prove a useful guide to synthetic chemists for the requirements of NLO devices.It is particularly strong on examples of the magnitudes of each effect, and this removes from the reader the burden of interpreting equations and their units. Chapter 2 provides a short but comprehensive introductory account of photochromic materials and devotes space to representative examples of classes of reversible, photo-induced colour changes. Chapters 3 and 4 are more specialized in their subject matter. The former is a comprehensive review of the optical and infrared spectroscopy of phthalocyanine molecular assemblies. Solution, crystal, thin-film and ordered Langmuir-Blodgett-film spectroscopies are treated in turn with particular attention to molecular stacking. The extensive applications aspects are not discussed at great length.Solid- state NMR structural characterization of zeolites is the subject of the latter. Here, again, considerable structural detail on aluminium, silicon and phosphorus coordination numbers and on Bronsted catalytic site detection is presented. Chapter 5 has as its subject matter the electronic and vibrational spectroscopic properties of conducting charge- transfer Langmuir-Blodgett films. These are contrasted with those of the bulk crystalline material, providing, as a bonus, an excellent introduction to the physical properties of the latter. Finally, ‘Spectroscopy of Proton and Electron Co- operative Systems’ deals with the dynamics of hydrogen bonds in solids. Following an interesting theoretical introduction, intramolecular proton transfer is studied spectroscopically in N-salicylideneaniline derivatives, and interchain hydrogen bonding is shown to modify the properties of linear-chain mixed-valence metal complexes.Overall, the mixture of general reviews and detailed aspects of new materials should give this volume as wide an appeal as its predecessor. The field has certainly advanced rapidly enough in the last two or three years to justify this further treatment, and we might confidently expect a further continuation. J. R.G. Thorne Received 1lth March, 1994 Polymer Surfaces from Physics to Technology. By Fabio Garbassi, Marco Morra and Ernest0 Occhiello. Wiley, Chichester, 1994. Pp. xii +462. Price €60.00. ISBN 0-471 -9381 7-3. As the quotation of the book indicates ‘only after knowing the surface of things can one throw himself into the search for what is underneath.But the surface of things is endless’. It is surprising therefore that the authors even attempted to present an overall coverage of this field of surface science in one book, let alone cover the subject in such a clear and well- presented way. The authors are to be congratulated on this achievement. The book addresses the requirements of this field by group- ing the individual chapters into four logical sections. As a combination the four are different from other existing litera- ture. It presents initial chapters on fundamental principles, then the more traditionally represented areas of polymer surface characterization and modification, and finally, appli- cation-based aspects of this science; the main objective being the relation of theory with experiment and application.There is by no means a complete representation of the published literature but, as the authors indicate, this would be an almost impossible task given the rapid grouth of the subject and the resulting numerous publications ihat now exist throughout many different fields. The style clf writing is flowing and easy. It leads the reader through an area of science of fundamental importance to much of the technology of today. In doing so, it would have been easy to leave large omissions or to have represented a somewhat slanted view about the role of the bulk properties of materials.This is not the case; however, the authors address these points in some detail. The books readability could allow an uninitiated reader to gain an insight into surface science, although most benefit would probably be derived by individuals who are somewhat more established in this particular field, or at the very least, related fields. The only minor criticism may lie in certain aspects of the final section of the book, which addresses applications. Not all the individual chapters cover the subject areas with full justice. However, even here the authors have adopted a realistic standpoint and have represented a selection of specific instances that exemplify phenomena discussed in preceding chapters. This book should be regarded as a particularly useful contribution to the literature in this field and as good value for money.J. H. Braybrook Received 8th Apd, 1994 Paints, Coatings and Solvents. Edited by Dieter Stoye. VCH, 1993. Pp.+iii 410. Price €80.00; DM 195.00. ISBN 3-527-28623-3 (VCH Verlagsgesellschaft); 1 -56081 -809-3 (VCH Publishers). This volume, published in English, comprises contributions from 45 authors, the majority of whom are German. The volume is a composite of articles that appear in the ‘Paints and Resins’ and ‘Solvents’ sections of the 5th Edition of Ullman’s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry recently pub- lished by VCH. Approximately half the book describes resin types, paint systems, pigments and additives. One quarter is devoted to paint removal, paint and resin production and paint appli- cation, uses and properties.The remaining quarter deals with solvents. Each contribution has been written by an expert in the subject. As a result the information given is authoritative. In many cases a good historical perspective is given describing how technologies have emerged. Most importantly the up-to- date status of technologies is summarized, with accent on modern low emission systems. The great strength of the book for me is its covtxage of resins (binders) for paint. In particular these are described in detail in Chapter 2, which is somewhat confusingly entitled ‘Types of Paints and Coatings (Binders)’. A comprvhensive list of resin types is described including trade names of commercially available resins.In some cases however only German/European sources of materials are mentioned and important references to, for example, North American sources are omitted. By contrast the coverage of paints is much less comprehensive. Chapter 3 describes paint systems and Chapter 11, on paint uses, gives further information on paints in the context of their markets. The salient information is given on each paint type, but with only one or two pages devoted to each, a lot has had to be left unsaid. Perhaps there is scope for a series of specialized follow up volumes on paint products for some of the more significant market sectors. Chapter 14 on solvents is very interesting and clearly in length and content is an important part of the volume.The author leads the reader clearly and logically through the basic theory of how solvents work, their properties, safety and use. In actual fact though, the content of the chapter that is directly relevant to paints is somewhat limited. Indeed only four pages are devoted to uses in paints whilst a whole list of other much less relevant uses are described, e.g. solvents for dry-cleaning. This has arisen because the section on solvents in Ullman’s Encyclopedia, from which the chapter comes, was free standing and not written specifically for paints. The book as a whole is well presented and the subject matter is logically broken down into numerous sub-sections. There are over 850 references, which are clearly numbered in the text and listed at the back of the book.A high proportion of the references are for publications dating within the last ten years. There is a comprehensive subject index listing all the keywords relevant to paint, resin and solvent technology. In places the readability of the book leaves something to be desired. Some chapters do have ample numbers of figures and illustrations, but a few consist of closely written text, which could have been made more reader friendly with some pictures, graphs, etc. Also a major benefit could have been obtained by more cross-referencing from one chapter to another. In particular it would have been of considerable help to the reader if the paint resin systems briefly mentioned in Chapter 11 under uses had been cross-referenced to relevant detailed descriptions of such resins given earlier in the book.Owing to the wide range of authors, their employers and the detailed up-to-date information that it contains, the book will be of definite interest to industrially based technical staff in the resins, additives, pigments and solvent sectors serving the paint industries as well as those in the paints and coatings manufacturing and user industries. It will also be of interest to those academic, government and public authority staff whose field covers the coatings industry and other related industrial sectors. The price at &SO is good value for money bearing in mind the extent of the information given. It is still rather expensive, however, and as a result purchasers will mainly be industrial and other libraries that cover the coatings and solvents fields.A number of technical specialists may feel inclined to dip into their pockets for a personal copy or perhaps more likely persuade their employer to purchase one for them. I am sure they could well justify this because of the highly relevant up-to-date information that the volume contains, in the very competitive and commercially lucrative fields of the paints and solvents industries. G. C. Fettis Received 12th April, 1994 J. MATER. CHEM., 1994, VOL. 4 Structure in Polymers with Special Properties. Edited by H-G. Zachmann. Advances in Polymer Science 108. Springer Verlag, Berlin, 1993. Pp. x +138.Price DM 138.00. ISBN 0-387-56579-5; 3-540-56579-5. With the ever-growing number of publications in polymer science it is essential that the advances made in particular areas should be brought together and analjsed in depth. Advances in Polymer Science succeed admirably in this role and the present volume, number 108 in the series, con- tinues the high standards set over the years. Three topics are reviewed, being concerned with ferroelectric properties of poly(viny1idene fluoride) (PVF,) by Balta-Calleja and co-workers, X-ray patterns of crystalline, non-crystalline and liquid-crystalline polymers by Kilian and Pieper and forma- tion, structure and properties of poly(viny1 alcohol )-iodine complexes by Miyasaka. The ferroelectric properties of PVF, have been known for over 25 years and developments, including the use of copoly- mers of vinylidene fluoride and trifluorethylene, have been considerable, leading to ferroelectric, piezoelectric and pyro- electric materials that have found widespread commercial applications.These important properties have their basis in the chain structure, chain conformation, crystal structure and morphology of poled drawn heat-treated films. Balta-Calleja and co-workers give a systematic account of these factors together with detailed descriptions of the phase behaviour, mechanical and electrical properties and dynamical properties (through dielectric relaxation and neutron scattering), thus providing a state-of-the-art description of this novel class of partially crystalline polymers.An account of the effects of disorder on the X-ray scattering of crystalline. liquid crystal- line and non-crystalline polymers is given by Pieper and Kilian in a pedagogical manner. This chapter provides both an introductory and advanced account of the analysis of WAXS patterns for such complex systems. Experimental data for molten polyethylene, for PTFE and the sniectic phase of an LC main-chain polyester are analysed to illustrate the methods whereby structural information is obtained and how the packing and structure of a phase may be related to chain structure, chain conformation and molecular motions. Finally, Miyasaka considers the structural changes that occur when poly(viny1 alcohol) forms complexes with iodine. Optical, spectroscopic and structural (X-ray) data are presented and analysed in terms of the structures of the complexes that are formed. All three Chapters are distinguished by their clarity and lucidity. Excellent printing, line diagrams and black-and-white photographs ensure volume 108 maintains the high standards set by previous volumes in this series. The authors, editor and publishers are to be congratulated on the contents and presentation of this fine volume. G. Williams Received 20th April, 1994
ISSN:0959-9428
DOI:10.1039/JM9940401357
出版商:RSC
年代:1994
数据来源: RSC
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