The fourth edition of this volume has been comprehensively revised and updated. Building a foundation with a thorough description of crystalline structures, the book presents a wide range of the synthetic and physical techniques used to prepare and characterize solids. The text discusses bonding, superconductivity, and electrochemical, magnetic, optical, and conductive properties. The authors have updated sections to cover STEM, ionic conductivity, nanotubes and related structures such as grapheme, metal-organic frameworks, and FeAs superconductors. They also include additional new chapters on biological systems in synthesis, solid state modeling, metamaterials.

Table of Contents:
An introduction to crystal structures Introduction Close-packing Body-centred and primitive structures Symmetry Lattices and unit cells Crystalline solids Lattice Energy   Physical methods for characterizing solids Introduction X-ray Diffraction Powder Diffraction Single Crystal X-ray Diffraction Neutron Diffraction Electron Microscopy Scanning Probe Microscopy, SPM Atomic Force Microscopy, AFM X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy, XAS Solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Thermal Analysis Temperature Programmed Reduction, TPR Other Techniques   Synthesis of solids Introduction High temperature ceramic methods Microwave synthesis Combustion synthesis High pressure methods Chemical vapour deposition (CVD) Preparing single crystals Intercalation Synthesis of Nanomaterials Choosing a method   Bonding in solids and their electronic properties Bonding in solids - free electron theory Bonding in solids - molecular orbital theory Semiconductors - Si and Ge Bands in compounds - Gallium Arsenide Bands in d-block compounds - transition metal monoxides Classical Modelling Defects and non-stoichiometry Point Defects - an introduction Defects and their concentration Ionic conductivity in solids Solid Electrolytes Applications of solid electrolytes Colour Centres Non-stoichiometric compounds Extended defects Three-dimensional defects Electronic properties of non-stoichiometric oxides   Microporous and Mesoporous solids Zeolites Other microporous framework structures Mesoporous structures New materials Clay minerals   Optical properties of solids Introduction The interaction of light with atoms Absorption and emission of radiation in continuous solids Refraction Photonic Crystals Metamaterials – ‘cloaks of invisibility’ Magnetic and Electrical Properties Introduction Magnetic susceptibility Paramagnetism in metal complexes Ferromagnetic metals Ferromagnetic compounds - chromium dioxide Antiferromagnetism - transition metal monoxides Ferrimagnetism - ferrites Spiral Magnetism Giant, Tunnelling, and Colossal Magnetoresistance Electrical polarisation Piezoelectric crystals The Ferroelectric Effect Multiferroics Superconductivity Introduction Conventional superconductors High temperature superconductors Uses of high-temperature superconductors   Nanostructures and solids with low-dimensional properties Nanoscience Consequences of the nanoscale Low-dimensional and nano-structural carbon Carbon-based conducting polymers Non-carbon nanoparticles Non-carbon nanofilms and nanolayers Non-carbon nanotubes, nanorods and nanowires