Organic Inorganic Hybrid Materials

This book deals with one of the most attractive fields in material science and technology research. In fact, the concept of organic–inorganic hybrid materials is applied to a wide variety of approaches that include materials with inorganic and/or organic nature with respect to their matrices and/or dispersed phase. The present book compiles one editorial and eleven approaches to the topic, and intends to provide a transversal idea about what the field of the so-called organic–inorganic hybrid materials means in actual scientific scenarios. In any case, the role is pointed out of the interphase between the components as the critical aspect to consider, as a way to enhance and understand these components in order to design materials with "tailor-made" organized structures considering the increasing nano-, meso-, micro- and macro-scales.

Synthesis and application of nanoparticles have been often reported by researchers in material science, chemistry and physics. While nanoparticles themselves are well known to exhibit fascinating characteristics. interest in their improvement and promotion is now turning to the hybridization of organic and/or inorganic nano-materials. Although nano-level hybridization is an outstandingly novel and original technique, it encounters many difficulties to achieving the desired industrial application. To thoroughly review the research in this field, this book focuses on the synthesis, characterization and process of nano-hybrid materials, including nanoparticles and ultra-thin films. It elucidates the fundamental aspects of nano-hybrid materials in the synthesis procedure, characterization, and processes with selected examples, from both the basic science and the engineering appications points of view. In fact, this is the first comprehensive compilation of new advances that covers the current status and topics of new synthetic information of nano-hybrid materials composed of organic and/or inorganic materials at the nano-meter level, in one volume. As such, the book provides a unique source of information and guidance for specialists and non-specialists alike.

Functional Hybrid Materials consist of both organic and inorganic components, assembled for the purpose of generating desirable properties and functionalities. The aim is twofold: to bring out or enhance advantageous chemical, electrochemical, magnetic or electronic characteristics and at the same time to reduce or wholly suppress undesirable properties or effects. Another target is the creation of entirely new material behavior. The vast number of hybrid material components available has opened up a wide and diversified field of fascinating research. In this book, a team of highly renowned experts gives an in-depth overview, illustrating the superiority of well-designed hybrid materials and their potential applications.

The combination of supramolecular chemistry, inorganic solids, and nanotechnology has already led to significant advances in many areas such as sensing, controlled motion, and delivery. By making possible an unprecedented tunability of the properties of nanomaterials, these techniques open up whole new areas of application for future supramolecular concepts. The Supramolecular Chemistry of Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Materials gathers current knowledge on the subject and provides an overview of the present state and upcoming challenges in this rapidly growing, highly cross- or interdisciplinary research field. The book details how these designed materials can improve existing materials or generate novel functional features such as chemical amplification, cooperative binding and signal enhancement that are difficult or not at all achievable by classical organic supramolecular chemistry. It also discusses issues related to nanofabrication or nanotechnology such as the directed and controlled assembly or disassembly, biomimetic functions and strategies, and the gating and switching of surface functions or morphology.

Hybrid materials have currently a great impact on numerous future developments including nanotechnology. This book presents an overview about the different types of materials, clearly structured into synthesis, characterization and applications. A perfect starting point for everyone interested in the field, but also for the specialist as a source of high quality information.