Series Preface

Materials chemistry has grown hugely in the past few decades and continues to evolve rapidly. This is especially the case since the subject now finds itself central to many of the major challenges that face global society, such as those concerning energy and the environment; but applications of materials are also found in many everyday situations, with ongoing developments in technology around electronics and the miniaturisation of devices. Although the study of materials is a highly interdisciplinary topic, the role of innovative, fundamental chemistry continues to lie at the heart of the discovery of new materials, the understanding of their atomic-scale structure and the relationship of structure to a useful property.

With the Inorganic Materials Series, our aim is to provide a series of themed volumes, each reflecting the diversity of the topic as it continues to develop over the coming years, with many chosen to relate closely to emerging practical applications. The use of the title Inorganic Materials is by no means limiting, but instead emphasises the study of the chemistry of all elements in the Periodic Table and how they impact the development of new materials. The chapters in each book will have a pedagogical flavour with a target audience from first-year postgraduate student upwards, but with wide subject coverage ranging from continuous inorganic solids, to molecular and soft matter systems. We will use expert, active researchers as editors and contributors to provide an up-to-date perspective of their field. At the same time our aim is to provide an international perspective, so to reflect the diversity and interdisciplinarity of the now very broad area of the subject.

Duncan W. Bruce, York, UK

Dermot O'Hare, Oxford, UK

Richard I. Walton, Warwick, UK