Preface

In keeping with the changes introduced in 2009 to this volume of the series, the current edition encompasses predominantly critical or tutorial reviews from a wide spectrum of inorganic materials science and spectroscopy. The reader should be able to find unfamiliar material described in an accessible style, providing the critical context and important recent work in the field.

In this volume the articles encompass the application of spectroscopic methods from fundamental characterisation of novel complexes and compounds to ‘real world’ detection of environmental pollution. Continuing the trend of recent additions, combinations of spectroscopic and structural methods are increasingly common providing insight not possible using individual techniques sequentially.

Collectively the articles represent a wide cross section of activity in the application of spectroscopy to inorganic chemistry, however there are clearly common themes to the spectroscopy applied to a diverse range of materials. We hope the reader will at least learn something new or find an alternative perspective to a familiar topic and perhaps extract a little inspiration.

The editors are of course indebted to all our authors for agreeing to contribute and submitting their articles in time for publication. The editing for the majority of the articles was uneventful and of course we take responsibility for any errors and apologise in advance. We also thank Dr Merlin Fox and Mrs Alice Toby-Brant of the RSC for sending us timely reminders and keeping us on track during the commissioning and editing processes.