The preface of this book states that it can be used as a textbook on nanoscience and nanotechnology for senior undergraduate or first-year graduate students from various disciplines, as well as a reference for researchers looking for basic information outside of their discipline. This is a tall order. This requires combining a proper pedagogical approach together with encyclopedic coverage of the multiple subdisciplines encompassed in the fields of nanoscience and nanomaterials. To a large extent, this book meets this challenge successfully. The 14 chapters cover an impressive variety of topics with sufficient information on each to allow the reader to understand the important physical and chemical concepts involved.
The pedagogical challenge is met by incorporating three important features: (1) adequate fundamental background material is provided to make this book self-sufficient for a reader with a basic scientific background; (2) numerous examples are included to clearly demonstrate a concept just presented (e.g., after discussing the quantum size effect, showing how to calculate the size of a Si particle that would exhibit quantum effects at room temperature); and (3) problems given at the end of each chapter.
In order to satisfy the need to cater to individuals from varied backgrounds, the first two chapters of the book are devoted to some general concepts used in nanoscience such as surfaces, quantum effects, and electronic properties. These principles are then drawn on later in the book, and further background information is provided in later chapters as needed. The material is presented in both lucid and basic fashion so that only a general scientific background is required to use the book.
Much of the rest of the book is ordered according to dimensionality. Chapters 3–7 deal with electrical and quantum effects, growth of quantum structures, magnetism, and colloid physics. Chapters 8–9 are devoted to 1D structures, including carbon nanotubes and nanowires: preparation, properties, and applications. Chapter 10 covers 2D structures (thin films), chapter 11 covers bulk nanostructures, and the final three chapters cover polymers, their composites, and self-assembly.
Any attempt to cover a versatile and dynamic field such as this will have its shortcomings. The book has sacrificed some important and timely topics in favor of thoroughness of more fundamental background material. Thus, whereas basics of quantum mechanics such as solution of the Schrödinger equation for a particle in a box are included, there is no mention of density functional theory, which is becoming an increasingly important technique for the understanding of nanosystems. This is symptomatic of topics in the book being somewhat dated—the coverage of self-assembly describes Langmuir–Blodgett films extensively but barely touches upon self-assembled monolayers, which are much more relevant to modern nanoscience.
Despite these few shortcomings, this book still provides an excellent basis for learning about the wonders of nanoscience and nanomaterials.
Reviewer: Sidney Cohenworks at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel.
