In this New York Times Notable Book, Mark Miodownik, a materials scientist, explains the history and science behind things such as paper, glass, chocolate, and concrete with an infectious enthusiasm.--Scientific American

Winner of the Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books

Why is glass see-through? What makes elastic stretchy? Why does any material look and behave the way it does? These are the sorts of questions that renowned materials scientist and New York Times bestselling author Mark Miodownik constantly asks himself. Studying objects as ordinary as an envelope and as unexpected as concrete cloth, he uncovers the fascinating secrets that hold together our physical world.

In Stuff Matters, Miodownik explores the materials he encounters in a typical morning, from the steel in his razor to the foam in his sneakers. Full of enthralling tales of the miracles of engineering that permeate our lives, his stories of analysis will make you see stuff in a whole new way.

Stuff Matters is about hidden wonders, the astonishing properties of materials we think boring, banal, and unworthy of attention...It's possible this science and these stories have been told elsewhere, but like the best chocolatiers, Miodownik gets the blend right.--New York Times Book Review

Why are there rich countries and poor countries?

Here is one reason: for more than two millennia, nations and regions that could transform raw materials into manufactured materials have achieved competitive advantage.

In this book, renowned scientist and educator Bernie Bulkin takes you on a whirlwind journey through the history of paper, textiles, food packaging, buildings, transport and electricity, with stories that show why and how competitive advantage happens. Looking to the future, Bernie also addresses the materials that might make and re-make our world in the coming decades, and which characteristics a society must have to be truly successful.

This book offers students a concise overview of materials science, covering key topics such as: (1) the significance of materials science, (2) the cosmic origins of materials, (3) the internal structure of materials, (4) methods for analyzing material structures, (5) materials thermodynamics, (6) materials kinetics, (7) properties of materials, (8) different classes of materials, and (9) innovations in materials science.

Given the crucial role of new materials in advancing technology, materials science has become increasingly important. Understanding this field is essential for anyone interested in engineering. Materials scientists work to address major challenges like global warming and the energy crisis, and they contribute to the development of technologies such as spacecraft, artificial intelligence, quantum computers, electric vehicles, and supersonic planes. This book will help students grasp the fundamentals of materials science and understand how materials scientists develop new materials that drive technological progress.

Wood: It's everywhere. The stuff literally grows on trees. We use it every day of our lives. Of course, this book is made from wood.

Timber is one of our most valuable and vulnerable natural resources, and the best way to protect it is to make sure we use it properly. This in-depth guide from the United States Department of Agriculture tells you everything you've ever wanted to know about wood--and then some.

Whether you're a master woodworker or a weekend do-it-yourselfer, this is the ultimate reference material for any trip to the lumberyard.

• Learn which type of wood you should be using for each project
• Know the physical properties of different types of wood - and why it matters
• Get to know the characteristics and recommended uses of various woods
• Learn the best methods for fastening and finishing
• Get tips for fire safety, and the long-term care of wood

This book explores how things break down, crack, explode, crumple, and shatter. This fun, unique take on a how-things-work book explores the world through the lens of what it takes for things to, well, not work. In these vibrantly illustrated pages, you'll peer through the smoke and rubble of controlled demolitions to discover the properties of building materials. Then get a glimpse of the inner workings of a cracked cell phone screen, peek carefully at mega-avalanches and sinkholes, and hold on tight as wrecking balls swing and car crushers crunch metal. Buckle up with crash-test dummies and travel back in time to explore the world's most famous failures (looking at you, Leaning Tower of Pisa).

Featuring hands-on activities that walk kids through their own experiments in destruction, Break Down! will change the way you look at the world.

Topics include:
* Demolition and controlled destruction
* Things that are built to break
* History's famous failures
* Natural disasters
* And more!

Complete the collection with these other National Geographic Kids Titles:
How Things Work
How Things Work: Inside Out
How Things Work: Then and Now

Check out the How Things Work video series on the National Geographic Kids YouTube channel.

As new porous materials, metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have been receiving an abundance of research interest in recent years. This book is the first comprehensive title to cover solid state NMR, ¹²⁹Xe NMR and diffusion NMR methods that have been applied to solve the key scientific issues in the MOFs and COFs research like structural determination, examination of the local structures and host-guest interactions. Structural Information is crucial not only to understand the synthetic mechanisms but also to establish the structure-activity relationship of MOFs and COFs. In comparison to single-crystal X-ray diffraction and high-resolution electron microscopy, solid state NMR provides determinative or complementary information regarding MOFs and COFs.

This book will benefit researchers who are interested in structural identification but have little expertise in NMR. It bridges a gap in knowledge and provides a unique reference work in this field of research.

Countries worldwide are moving to a future without fossil fuels to mitigate the effects of climate change. This transition will involve phasing out the fossil fuels used for electricity generation, the liquid fuels used for transportation and the gas that is used to heat homes. To achieve the transition, a range of materials, known as critical materials or critical minerals are essential. These range from the lithium needed for batteries to store power to the neodymium needed for the magnets that convert motion to electricity in wind turbines.

Critical Materials for a Low-carbon Economy looks at the science behind some of the materials that will be essential to this transition. Beginning with an introduction to the origins of climate change and the importance of critical materials this book is split into chapters focusing on different technologies. In addition to describing the science behind the need for these materials it also discusses issues around supply chains and geopolitical considerations.

Advanced composite technology is constantly changing and embracing new developments daily, yet most of the basics needed to successfully design, fabricate, and repair composite structures remain the same. Essentials of Advanced Composite Fabrication and Repair works as the perfect introductory textbook for beginners yet is also functional for the composite professional. It teaches the concepts and methods in a simple and straightforward way for a wide array of composite fundamentals, including fiber and matrix selection, molding methods, curing and achieving desired properties, tooling, testing and non-destructive inspection, step-by-step repair instructions and troubleshooting, key environmental, health and safety issues, and much more.

This third edition includes an introduction to nanomaterials in composites, updates terminology, and covers molding methods, adhesive bonding, joining, and fastening. The content also includes advances in matrix technology and fiber reinforcements, as well as tooling, filament winding, and various testing and inspection method improvements.

Based on the authors' combined 80 years in the industry, this textbook is a compendium of industry information, presented with full-color illustrations and photography. Fabric styles, core types, design guides, detailed industry product information, and more make this book essential for anyone working in composites--from material and process engineers to repair technicians and maintenance mechanics. Including a bibliography, glossary, and index, it also serves as the companion textbook to most Abaris Training basic courses.

This book is the expanded edition of the first book entitled Chemical Thermodynamics for Metals and Materials. This new version presents thermodynamics of materials with emphasis on the chemical approach, and is thus suitable for students in materials science and metallurgical engineering, as well as related fields such as chemical engineering and physical chemistry.

Chapter 1 General Introduction
Definition of emulsions and the role of the emulsifier. Classification based on the nature of the emulsifier. Classification based on the structure of the system. General instability problems with emulsions: creaming/sedimentation, flocculation, Ostwald ripening, coalescence and phase inversion. Importance of emulsions in various industrial applications.

Chapter 2 Thermodynamics of Emulsion Formation and Breakdown
Application of the second law of thermodynamics for emulsion formation: Balance of energy and entropy and non-spontaneous formation of emulsions. Breakdown of the emulsion by flocculation and coalescence in the absence of an emulsifier. Role of the emulsifier in preventing flocculation and coalescence by creating an energy barrier resulting from the repulsive energies between the droplets.

Chapter 3 Interaction Forces between Emulsion Droplets
Van der Waals attraction and its dependence on droplet size, Hamaker constant and separation distance between the droplets. Electrostatic repulsion resulting from the presence of electrical double layers and its dependence on surface (or zeta) potential and electrolyte concentration and valency. Combination of the van der Waals attraction with double layer repulsion and the theory of colloid stability. Steric repulsion resulting from the presence of adsorbed non-ionic surfactants and polymers. Combination of van der Waals attraction with steric repulsion and the theory of steric stabilisation.

Chapter 4 Adsorption of Surfactants at the Oil/Water Interface
Thermodynamic analysis of surfactant adsorption and the Gibbs adsorption isotherm. Calculation of the amount of surfactant adsorption and area per surfactant molecule at the interface. Experimental techniques for measuring the interfacial tension.

Chapter 5 Mechanism of Emulsification and the Role of the Emulsifier
Description of the factors responsible for droplet deformation and its break-up. Role of surfactant in preventing coalescence during emulsification. Definition of the Gibbs dilational elasticity and the Marangoni effect in preventing coalescence.

Chapter 6 Methods of Emulsification
Pipe flow, static mixers and high speed stirrers (rotor-stator mixer). Laminar and turbulent flow. Membrane emulsification. High pressure homogenisers and ultrasonic methods.

Chapter 7 Selection of Emulsifiers
The hydrophilic-lipophilic-balance (HLB) and its application in surfactant selection. Calculation of HLB numbers and the effect of the nature of the oil phase. The phase inversion temperature (PIT) method for emulsifier selection. The cohesive energy ratio method for emulsifier selection.

Chapter 8 Creaming/Sedimentation of Emulsions and its prevention
Driving force for creaming/sedimentation: effect of gravity, droplet size and density difference between the oil and continuous phase. Calculation of the rate of creaming/sedimentation in dilute emulsions. Influence of increase of the volume fraction of the disperse phase on the rate of creaming/sedimentation. Reduction of creaming/sedimentation: Balance of the density of the two phases, reduction of droplet size and effect of addition of ''thickeners'.

Chapter 9 Flocculation of Emulsions and its Prevention
Factors affecting flocculation. Calculation of fast and slow flocculation rate. Definition of stability ratio and its dependence on electrolyte concentration and valency. Definition of the critical coagulation concentration and its dependence on electrolyte valency. Reduction of flocculation by enhancing the repulsive forces.

Chapter 10 Ostwald Ripening and its Reduction
Factors responsible for Ostwald ripening: difference in solubility between small and large droplets and the Kelvin equation. Calculation of the rate of Ostwald ripening. Reduction of Ostwald ripening by incorporation of a small amount of highly insoluble oil. Reduction of Ostwald ripening by the use of strongly adsorbed polymeric surfactant and enhancement of the Gibbs elasticity.

Chapter 11 Emulsion Coalescence and its Prevention
Driving force for emulsion coalescence: Thinning and disruption of the liquid film between the droplets. The concept of disjoining pressure for prevention of coalescence. Methods for reduction or elimination of coalescence: Use of mixed surfactant films, use of lamellar liquid crystalline phases and use of polymeric surfactants.

Chapter 12 Phase Inversion and its Prevention
Distinction between catastrophic and transient phase inversion. Influence of the disperse volume fraction and surfactant HLB number. Explanation of the factors responsible for phase inversion.

Chapter 13 Characterisation of Emulsions
Measurement of droplet size distribution: Optical microscopy and image analysis. Phase contrast and polarising microscopyDiffraction methods. Confocal laser microscopy. Back scattering methods

Chapter 14 Industrial Application of Emulsions
14.1 Application in Pharmacy
14.2 Application in Cosmetics
14.3 Application in Agrochemicals
14.4 Application in Paints
14.5 Application in the Oil Industry