This book grew out of my desire to understand the mechanics of nanomaterials, and to be able to rationalize in my own mind the variety of topics on which the people around me were doing research at the time. The ?eld of nanomaterials has been growing rapidly since the early 1990s. I- tially, the ?eld was populated mostly by researchers working in the ?elds of synt- sis and processing. These scientists were able to make new materials much faster than the rest of us could develop ways of looking at them (or understanding them). However, a con?uence of interests and capabilities in the 1990s led to the exp- sive growth of papers in the characterization and modeling parts of the ?eld. That con?uence came from three primary directions: the rapid growth in our ability to make nanomaterials, a relatively newfound ability to characterize the nanomate- als at the appropriate length and time scales, and the rapid growth in our ability to model nanomaterials at atomistic and molecular scales. Simultaneously, the commercial potential of nanotechnology has become app- ent to most high-technology industries, as well as to some industries that are tra- tionally not viewed as high-technology (such as textiles). Much of the rapid growth came through the inventions of physicists and chemists who were able to develop nanotechnology products (nanomaterials) through a dizzying array of routes, and who began to interface directly with biological entities at the nanometer scale. That growth continues unabated.
The enabling science in much of nanotechnology today is the science of nanomaterials; indeed in the broadest sense, nanotechnology would not be possible without nanomaterials. Nanomaterials: Mechanics and Mechanisms seeks to provide an entrč into the field for mechanical engineers, material scientists, chemical and biomedical engineers and physicists. The objective is to provide the reader with the connections needed to understand the intense activity in the area of the mechanics of nanomaterials, and to develop ways of thinking about these new materials that could be useful to both research and application. The book covers all of the fundamentals of the mechanical properties of materials in a highly readable style, and integrates most of the literature on the emerging field of nanomaterials into a coherent body of knowledge.
This volume provides a basic understanding of mechanics and materials, and specifically nanomaterials and nanomechanics, in one self-contained text. Graduate and advanced undergraduate students will find well-organized chapters that provide the necessary background in mechanics, mechanical properties and modeling. The writing style illustrates concepts through quantitative modeling techniques, in contrast to theoretical abstractions of materials behavior. Problem sets within each chapter aim to motivate discussion and further study in this rich and bourgeoning field.
Providing engineers with the knowledge necessary to take full advantage of the tremendous potential of nanomaterials, Nanomaterials: Mechanics and Mechanisms is a valuable teaching/learning tool for mechanical engineering, physics and materials science audiences.
