The Series in Metallurgy and Materials Science was initiated during the Diamond Jubilee of the Indian Institute of Metals (IIM). In the last decade, the progress in the study and development of metallurgy and materials science has been rapid and extensive, giving us a whole new array of materials, with a wide range of applications, and a variety of techniques for both processing and characterizing them. With the help of an expert editorial panel of international and national scientists, the series aims to make this information available to a wide spectrum of readers through textbooks, monographs on select topics, and proceedings of select international conferences organised by the IIM. This book is the eighth book in the series.
This book introduces the reader to the basic concepts, lines of development, main characteristics and applications of functional materials. Several examples of functional materials developed during the last two decades are used to illustrate their versatility and range of function. This book examines the preparation and characterization of some of these materials from the perspective of a synthetic chemist. Although research in this area is multidisciplinary, the chemistry of these materials is given special importance. Existing and emerging applications of functional materials in energy storage, polymer electronics, chemical sensors, nanobiotechnology and medicine are highlighted.
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Vijayamohanan K Pillai is Acting Director, Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, and Scientist, Physical & Materials Chemistry Division, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune. He has been a Visiting Scientist at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York and won several awards and honours. His areas of interest are self-assembled monolayers, monolayer-protected nanoclusters, and hybrid materials and their electrochemistry.
Meera Parthasarathy is Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry, School of Chemical & Biotechnology, SASTRA University, Thanjavur, Tamilnadu. Her current research activity includes electrochemistry, materials science, nanomaterials synthesis and functionalization, fuel cells, biological separations and electrochemical imaging.
Foreword Preface Acknowledgements About the Series Editorial Advisory Board 1 Functional Materials: A Virtual Tour 1.1 Materials Science and Engineering—The Conventional Outlook 1.2 What are Functional Materials? 1.3 Where do Functional Materials come from? 1.4 Historical Perspectives 1.5 Lessons from Nature 1.6 Significance of Functional Materials 1.7 Engineering Functions 1.8 Dematerialization 1.9 The Way Ahead—Multiscale Modelling and Computation 1.10 Conclusions 2 Classification of Functional Materials 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Classification Based on Chemical Identity 2.3 Classification Based on Functions and Applications 2.4 Technological Relevance 2.5 Conclusions 3 Molecular Self-Assembly 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Classification of Self-assembled Monolayers 3.3 Synthetic Protocols and Challenges 3.4 Limitations of Self-assembly 3.5 Applications of SAMs 3.6 Conclusions 4 Bioinspired Materials 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Classification of Bioid Materials 4.5 Bionics: Bioinspired Information Technology 4.5 Biomineralization—en route to Nanotechnology 4.6 Advantages and Limitations 4.7 Challenges Ahead 4.8 Conclusions 5 Smart Materials 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Smart Tools to Impart intelligence 5.3 Representative Examples 5.4 Technological Limitations and Challenges 5.5 Conclusions 6 Functional Materials for Sustainable Energy 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Materials for Solar Energy Conversion 6.4 Materials for Electrochemical Power Sources 6.5 Hydrogen Economy—a Material Challenge 6.6 Impact of Nanotechnology 6.7 Conclusions 7 Materials for Polymer Electronics 7.1 Introduction 7.2 From Molecular Electronics to Polymer Electronics 7.3 Polymeric Semiconductors in Light Emitting Diodes 7.4 Polymer Photovoltaics 7.5 Polymer Displays 7.6 Field Effect Transistors 7.7 Intelligent Polymers for Data Storage 7.8 Conclusions 8 Functional Nanocomposites 8.1 Why ‘Nano’composites? 8.2 Classification of Nanocomposites 8.3 Synthetic Strategies 8.4 How to make Nanocomposites ‘Functional’? 8.5 Interfacial Engineering—Harvesting Maximum Performance 8.6 Theoretical models for Interfacial Interactions 8.7 Applications of Nanocomposites 8.8 Conclusions xiv Contents 9 Going Beyond Functional Materials—Future Directions 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Limitations of Functional Materials 9.3 Major Challenges in Developing Next Generation Materials 9.4 Social Impact of Functional Materials 9.5 Functional Materials and the UN Millennium Development Goals 9.6 Predictions for the Future 9.7 Epilogue