This up-to-date collection, “Eco-Materials Processing and Design IX”, covers – on a global scale – the outstanding advances made in investigating, producing and using eco-materials. It furnishes materials scientists and end-users with a valuable source of information and new concepts covering the complete spectrum of ecology, eco-materials, nano-materials, bio-materials, recycling, environmental protection and energy conversion related materials.

This volume of the Bioceramics series includes the papers selected for the 20th International Symposium on Ceramics in Medicine held in Nantes, France, from the 24th  to the 26th of October, 2007. Some of the topics covered deal with advanced materials and technologies that support the exciting technique of the regeneration of osteoarticular tissues using minimal invasive surgery and bioactive prostheses.

This useful collection comprises 92 peer-reviewed papers, grouped into nine sections: I Nanostructured Materials; II Solid State Phenomena; III Fine Particles; IV Thin Films; V Materials for Hydrogen Energy Storage; VI Optical Materials; VII Biomaterials; VIII Polymers & Composites; and IX Metallic Systems.

The objective of this collection was to gather together  the latest information on the mechanical behavior of materials. The volumes cover the progress made in all aspects of the mechanical behavior of materials, seen from both the macroscopic and microscopic viewpoints.

This “Advanced Biomaterials” collection comprises more than 237 peer-reviewed papers. The latter are grouped into handy sections: Tissue Engineering, Drug Delivery System, Metal, Ceramics, Polymer, Cell-Matrix Interactions, Surface Modifications, Micro-/Nano- and Others.

The main focus of this book is the rapidly expanding new field of experimental mechanics, as applied to nano and biotechnology, which is enthusiastically responding to the advances in these technologies and to the increasing need for precise measurements of novel materials and biological tissues. For instance, whereas optical techniques had previously been preferred, particularly in the field of bio-engineering, other mature methods are now being exploited in tandem with the growth in micro- and nano-manufacturing.

The papers which make up this volume reflect the very diverse nature of nondestructive evaluation; covering as they do topics ranging from traditional NDE to newly developing NDE methods such as structural health monitoring; where nondestructive technologies are rapidly progressing by integrating emerging technologies from various fields.

One of the oldest construction materials is wood which, technically speaking, belongs to the group of polymer matrix composites; one which is conveniently and expertly produced by Nature. Due to its organic cell-type structure, the density of wood remains modest. Thus, as its strength and stiffness can - in certain cases - attain remarkable values, its levels of specific strength and stiffness (absolute strength or stiffness divided by density) can reach magnitudes which are competitive with those of other construction materials. It is demonstrated, for instance, that the specific strength of wood in the axial direction can exceed those of low-carbon steel and concrete. Its specific stiffness can also be comparable to those of aluminum alloys and low-carbon steels, and is better than that of concrete. In constructional design, especially in the dimensioning of supports, the values of specific strength and stiffness are of utmost importance.

Materials science and engineering is a multidisciplinary area of research which encompasses the physics, chemistry and engineering of every class of material. In recent years, the field has attracted increasing attention, following the discovery of new types of material and their subsequent application in new technologies.

This book consists of a compilation of the papers presented at the Asian International Conference on Advanced Materials (AICAM 2005), which was held in Beijing, China, from November 3rd to 5th, 2005.