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ogy alter the profile of practically all the

traditional natural and engineering sci-
ences. Because of the very wide-ranging
scope of research in nanotechnology, its
fast-moving nature, and the impossibil-
ity of precisely defining the boundaries
of the subject, a really exhaustive pre-
sentation of the field is practically
unachievable. Therefore the authors
have limited their treatment to some
selected aspects that they regard as rep-
resenting the subject as a whole. The
Introduction to Nanotechnology main emphasis is on nanostructured
inorganic materials, and is more on
By Charles P. Poo-
their physical properties than on meth-
le, Jr. and Frank J.
ods of producing them.
Owens. Wiley-Inter-
Therefore the authors choose classi-
science, New York
cal solid-state physics as their starting-
2003. 320 pp.,
point for introducing nanotechnology.
hardcover
Following an introductory chapter,
E 79.00.—ISBN 0-
Chapter 2 provides a short introduction
471-07935-9
to the elementary principles, then Chap-
ter 3 contains an equally brief survey of
the microscopic and spectroscopic meth-
ods used for the characterization of
nanosystems. The next six chapters
Nanotechnology includes the produc- deal with the structural, optical, elec-
tion, characterization, and applications tronic, mechanical, and chemical prop-
of materials that have dimensions erties of different types of nanostruc-
smaller than 100 nm in at last one direc- tured inorganic materials. These range
tion. Charles P. Poole and Frank J. from nanocrystallites of metals and sem-
Owens have set out to present this very iconductors through carbon nanotubes,
interdisciplinary field of research con- noble gas clusters, and ferroelectrics, to
cisely, but comprehensively, in such a nanostructured bulk materials.
way as to give outsiders with a scientific Throughout this the authors explain
background an overview of the basic basic principles that can be easily under-
principles of the wide-ranging subject. stood also by chemists and biologists.
The book has been written in such a However, the descriptions contain a
way that the chapters can be read inde- few minor weaknesses of presentation:
pendently of each other. To achieve for example, in the discussion of X-ray
the aims of the book, it was necessary diffraction methods in Chapter 3 the
to treat the basic facts of the individual authors avoid the well-known phase
topics at a very elementary level. Thus, problem, and also the use of the word
to take an example suggested by one “spectrum” in connection with X-ray
of the authors, the subject should be pre- diffractograms is inappropriate.
sented in such a way that a solid-state Chapter 10 is concerned with the
physicist who does not know the differ- fundamental concept of self-organiza-
ence between an amino acid and a pro- tion and with nanostructured catalysts.
tein should be able to understand the Here there is a problem to some
chapter about biological nanostructures. extent, since the term “self-organiza-
Nanoscale functional units are tion” is used in a different sense in
involved in some way or another in other disciplines. On this subject the
most physical, chemical, or biological authors limit their treatment to a brief
processes, from catalysis to human description of the principle, and as an
metabolism to field-effect transistors. example they discuss the growth of
They have unusual chemical, physical, structured semiconductor films and
and biological properties that are not self-organizing monolayers. In contrast,
found in ordinary bulk materials. Thus, in the following chapters, which deal
the methods and results of nanotechnol- with “soft” matter, they give many

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Books
more examples. The subject of catalysis
is approached through the discussion of
mesoporous materials which, on the
one hand, are produced by self-organi-
zation, and on the other hand have
extremely large specific surface areas.
Relatively little space is devoted to
the discussion of nanostructured organic
and biological materials. Unfortunately
the discussion of synthetic polymers in
the first part of Chapter 11 contains a
few defects of presentation. In contrast,
the second part, which deals with supra-
molecular architectures, is very much
better. Many readers will feel that the
synthesis of these structures does not
belong to “classical” nanotechnology,
but nevertheless it is an ideal example
of a “bottom-up” approach. Chapter 12
contains a very brief discussion of bio-
logical nanostructures, then the last
chapter presents examples of nanoma-
chines and functional nanostructures.
The authors did not set out to
describe the very latest developments
in this field (which would in any case
soon be overtaken). Instead they
intended to give scientists and deci-
sion-makers an introduction to a field
that many would regard as light-years
away from their own disciplines.
Unfortunately, in a few cases the chem-
ical fundamentals are not very well pre-
sented. On the whole, however, the
authors have achieved their aims and
have hit the right tone and level of treat-
ment. The book should also be suitable
for advanced students of chemistry and
physics who are interested in the field
and would like to get an overview of it.

Martin Steinhart
Max Planck Institute of Microstructure
Physics
Halle/Saale (Germany)

DOI: 10.1002/anie.200385124

Keyword: Monograph/Research Report in

Materials Science

Dateiname: b3m3C Pagina: 2

Seite: 2 te von 2 Umfang (Seiten): 2
Status Neusatz Datum: 6 KW., 6. Februar 2004 (Freitag)
Sprache English Zeit: 9:22:57 Uhr