Recent Advances in Composite Materials

Over the last three decades, the evolution of techniques for the experimental testing of composite materials has struggled to keep up with the advances and broadening areas of application of the composite materials themselves. In recent years, however, much work has been done to consolidate and better understand the test methods being used.

With the recent technological advancement usage of unique nanomaterials and bio-based composite materials as sensors has been greatly improved. Biopolymers and bio-based composite materials have especially been exploited due to their unique physical, optical, electrochemical, and biocompatible properties. In this book, experts and researchers in various sensor technology areas discuss the basics of biosensors, the methods used to synthesize different biomaterials, and the characterization and functionalization of these biomaterials. Processes for the self-assembly of biomaterials and the fabrication of biomaterials onto transducers are clearly explained. It also outlines the current status in the field and the utility of such bio-based sensors for medical diagnostics, food safety, industrial, and environmental monitoring. Besides pressure and temperature sensing applications, other applications include detecting gases, chemicals, biomolecules, body fluids, bacteria, and viruses.

This book highlights the latest advances in advanced insulating materials. Energy crisis and environmental pollution are two major themes currently faced by the human society. It is of unprecedented strategic importance to construct a strong smart grid with super/ultra-high voltage network as the backbone and clean energy transmission as the leading force. However, the performance of electrical equipment and devices is greatly determined by the properties of their insulating materials, especially when they have to work in extreme circumstances including high-temperature differences, intense radiation, and strong electric fields. The key advantage of polymers is that their properties could be adjusted by changing their chemical composition and molecular structure. Research on polymer insulating materials has been highly successful as progress has been made in characterizing these properties, designing molecular structures, and studying polymers’ specialized properties.