Subramanian Balakumar - Böcker

This book demonstrates the swift progress achieved in the field of diamond for electronic and bioelectronic applications. Predicted to become the 'ultimate semiconductor' in the early 1990s, diamond initially failed to match the impressive developments made with other wide-bandgap semiconductors. The situation is changing, with single-crystal electronic-grade diamond becoming a commercially available material. As importantly, the spectacular properties of single-point defects in diamond, as well as its superlative thermal conductivity, radiation 'hardness' and inherent biocompatibility, are being recognized as vital for devices used in biosensing, quantum informatics, and environmentally challenging applications. Not all recent advances relate to single-crystal diamond. Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD), ultra-nanocrystalline diamond (UNCD) and diamond-like carbon (DLC) are very important forms of carbon, as are multiphase carbon nanostructures and graphene. It features results in all areas of high-performance diamond research. Chemical, electrochemical, and biochemical sensing, including nanodiamond for sensing in-cellular environment and the integration of diamond within biological systems are highlighted.

This book describes the role and fundamental aspects of the diverse ranges of nanostructured materials for energy applications in a comprehensive manner. Advanced nanomaterial is an important and interdisciplinary field which includes science and technology. This work thus gives the reader an in depth analysis focussed on particular nanomaterials and systems applicable for technologies such as clean fuel, hydrogen generation, absorption and storage, supercapacitors, battery applications and more. Furthermore, it not only aims to exploit certain nanomaterials for technology transfer, but also exploits a wide knowledge on avenues such as biomass-derived nanomaterials, carbon dioxide conversions into renewable fuel chemicals using nanomaterials. These are the areas with lacunae that demand more research and application.

This multidisciplinary book discusses the most promising nanostructured materials made-up of metals, metal oxides, metal chalcogenides, multi-metal oxides, carbon nanostructures, and hybrid materials that can address environmental remediation.