The primary aim of this book is to provide introductory material on nanomaterials and nanotechnology for students at the college level. A secondary goal is to explore concepts of nanotechnology in teaching and research. The major focus is on nanodevices, which is meant to instill in researchers a motivation for developing practical applications. In addition to the text in the book, the authors provide online resources for probing further into the topics.
The book is divided into 12 chapters. Chapter 1 focuses on basic properties of nanomaterials. It contains three sections: a brief history of nanoscience and nanotechnology, characteristics of nanomaterials, and physical principles of nanoscale effects. Chapter 2 is aimed at characterization and analysis of nanomaterials, detailing scanning probe microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Other methods of characterization such as particle size and various properties are also briefly introduced. Chapter 3 covers carbon nanotubes, starting with allotropes of carbon and other structures (including graphene), followed by the types and nature, preparation, and applications of carbon nanotubes. Chapter 4 focuses on semiconductor quantum dots. In the four sections here, the authors describe the physical basis of the semiconductors, preparation of semiconductor quantum dots, laser devices based on quantum dots, and single photon sources.
The next chapter’s focus is on nanomagnetic materials and is exhaustive in discussing the types, characteristics, examples, and preparation. The chapter concludes with giant magnetoresistance materials with applications in sensing devices. Chapter 6 covers nanoscale titanium oxide as a photocatalytic material and its applications. Chapter 7 discusses the electro-optical, optoelectronic, and piezoelectric applications of zinc oxide. Superconducting nanomaterials are discussed in chapter 8. After a brief introduction to superconductivity, there is discussion on physical principles, classification of superconductors, nano-superconductors, and their applications. Chapter 9 discusses nanobiological materials with detailed coverage of nanobiological, nanomedical, and magnetic particles in medicine, bioanalysis, and quantum dots in biological and medical applications. It concludes with a discussion of research progress in hypothermia. Chapter 10 covers nanoenergy materials, limiting coverage to nano-storage materials related to fuel cells and dye-sensitized solar cells. Chapter 11 focuses on nanocomposites. It starts with concepts, including surface modification, and concludes with core–shell structures of composites. The last chapter covers the basics of DNA and its nanotechnology with molecular motors.
However, the book contains pictures that are poor in quality (all black and white with no clarity). Also, there are a number of errors that can be corrected: some quantities are not presented with the correct units, data in some tables are not cited adequately, and it would be useful to explain the relationships between entities in some equations. Some of these problems can be attributed to typographical errors, but some of them will cause confusion for beginners, to whom the book is directed. The order of the chapters is somewhat disorganized. Chapter 12 would fit better after chapter 9; chapter 6 could follow chapter 10. The book is adequate reading material as a supplementary book for inspiring beginners in the field, rather than as a text for beginners. Readers should be cautioned regarding the errors and thus the book should not stand alone as one’s go-to reference.
Reviewer: K.S.V. Santhanam is a professor in the School of Chemistry and Materials Science at Rochester Institute of Technology, USA.
