Functionally Graded Materials Vii

Volume is indexed by Thomson Reuters CPCI-S (WoS). Functionally graded materials (FGMs) exhibit spatial variations, in composition and/or microstructure, which have been imposed for the specific purpose of controlling the resultant variations in the thermal, structural or functional properties.

Mechanics of Functionally Graded Material Structures is an authoritative and fresh look at various functionally graded materials, customizing them with various structures. The book is devoted to tailoring material properties to the needed structural performance. The authors pair materials with the appropriate structures based upon their purpose and use.Material grading of structures depending upon thickness, axial and polar directions are discussed. Three dimensional analysis of rectangular plates made of functional graded materials and vibrational tailoring of inhomogeneous beams and circular plates are both covered in great detail. The authors derive novel closed form solutions that can serve as benchmarks that numerical solutions can be compared to. These are published for the first time in the literature. This is a unique book that gives the first exposition of the effects of various grading mechanisms on the structural behavior as well as taking into account vibrations and buckling.

The book deals with novel aspects and perspectives in functionally graded materials (FGMs), which are advanced engineering materials designed for a specific performance or function with spatial gradation in structure and/or composition. The contributions mainly focus on numerical simulations of mechanical properties and the behavior of FGMs and FGM structures. Several advancements in numerical simulations that are particularly useful for investigations on FGMs have been proposed and demonstrated in this Special Issue. Such proposed approaches provide incisive methods to explore and predict the mechanical and structural characteristics of FGMs subjected to thermoelectromechanical loadings under various boundary and environmental conditions. The contributions have resulted in enhanced activity regarding the prediction of FGM properties and global structural responses, which are of great importance when considering the potential applications of FGM structures. Furthermore, the presented scientific scope is, in some way, an answer to the continuous demand for FGM structures, and opens new perspectives for their practical use.

The science and study of functionally graded materials (FGMs) have intrigued researchers over the last few decades. Their application has the capability to produce parts with unmatched properties which are virtually impossible to obtain via conventional material routes. This book addresses various FGM aspects and provides a relevant, high-quality, and comprehensive data source. The book covers trends, process classification on various bases, physical processes involved, structure, properties, applications, advantages, and limitations. Emerging trends in the field are discussed in detail and advancements are thoroughly reviewed and presented to broaden the spectrum of FGM applications. This reference book will be of interest to scholars, researchers, academicians, industry practitioners, government labs, libraries, and anyone interested in the area of materials engineering.

I am honored to chair this International Workshop on Functionally st Graded Materials in the 21 Century: A Workshop on Trends and Forecasts, and would like to first express my sincere gratitude to everyone participating. The Mechanical Engineering Laboratory and the Japan International Science and Technology Exchange Center (JISTEC) have co-organized this workshop with the sponsorship of the Science and Technology Agency of Japan and the cooperation of the Association of Mechanical Technology. This workshop is an international conference to focus on functionally graded materials and the aim is to provide an overview of the present global technical trends and the future development of functionally graded materials over the next 10 years. I am very happy to see many researchers meeting together here - including seven researchers invited from abroad. During the three-day oral sessions, 36 research reports will be presented, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who is very anxious to hear and participate in the upcoming interesting discussions. At present, the Mechanical Engineering Laboratory is conducting fundamental and ground-breaking research in such major areas as materials science and technology, bioengineering, information & system science, advanced machine technology, energy technology, manufacturing technology and robotics. In particular, we consider research on materials science and technology to have the highest priority for the 21st century. and since 1996 have participated in the US-Japan joint research project, Precompetitive Processing and Characterization of Functionally Graded Materials.

Multifunctional materials are composite systems that exhibit useful responses to electrical, optical, magnetic and/or mechanical stimuli. They allow the compact and economic integration of two or more functions; which can be mechanical, biological, acoustic, thermal, electrical, magnetic, optical or sensory in nature. Functionally graded materials (FGM) are also multi-functional materials, which exhibit spatial variations in composition and/or microstructure; created with the specific purpose of controlling variations in thermal, structural or functional properties. In spite of large differences in the type and size scale of the materials considered, many common features exist, thus furnishing a rationale for grouping these materials together in one book. The topics covered include: structural applications, materials for information technology, energy conversion materials and devices, biomedical materials and their applications, multifunctional materials for sensors and actuators, eco-materials, thin films and coatings, modeling and simulations, testing and characterization, processing of materials.Overall, the book provides an excellent overview of the latest scientific and technological results in the field of FGMs, Multi-FGMs and related fields.

This new volume, Microscopy Applied to Materials Sciences and Life Sciences. focuses on recent theoretical and practical advances in polymers and their blends, composites, and nanocompos¬ites related to their microscopic characterization. It highlights recent accomplishments and trends in the field of polymer nanocomposites and filled polymers related to microstructural characterization. This book gives an insight and better understanding into the development in microscopy as a tool for characterization. The book emphasizes recent research work in the field of microscopy in life sciences and materials sciences mainly related to its synthesis, characterizations, and applications. The book explains the application of microscopic techniques in life sciences and materials sciences, and their applications and state of current research carried out. The book aims to foster a better understanding of the properties of polymer composites by describing new techniques to measure microstructure property relationships and by utilizing techniques and expertise developed in the conventional filled polymer composites. Characterization techniques, particularly microstructural characterization, have proven to be extremely difficult because of the range of length-scales associated with these materials. Topics include: •Instrumentation and Techniques: advances in scanning probe microscopy, SEM, TEM, OM. 3D imaging and tomography, electron diffraction techniques and analytical microscopy, advances in sample preparation techniques in-situ microscopy, correlative microscopy in life and material sciences, low voltage electron microscopy. •Life Sciences: Structure and imaging of biomolecules, live cell imaging, neurobiology, organelles and cellular dynamics, multi-disciplinary approaches for medical and biological sciences, microscopic application in plants, microorganism and environmental science, super resolution microscopy in biological sciences. •Materials Sciences: materials for nanotechnology, metals alloys and inter-metallic, ceramics, composites, minerals and microscopy in cultural heritage, thin films, coatings, surfaces and interfaces, carbon based materials, polymers and soft materials and self-assembled materials, semiconductors and magnetic materials. Polymers and inorganic nanoparticles. The volume will be of significant interest to scientists working on the basic issues surrounding polymers, nanocomposites, and nanoparticulate-filled polymers, as well as those working in industry on applied problems, such as processing. Because of the multidisciplinary nature of this research, the book will be valuable to chemists, materials scientists, physicists, chemical engineers, and processing specialists who are involved and interested in the future frontiers of blends.