John J. Shea

Thermoelectrics Handbook- Macro to Nano [Book Review]

This book is not about conventional thermocouples but rather thermocouples made from modern semiconductors whose material properties and geometry have been tailored specifically to meet the intended application and possess Seebeck coefficients of hundreds of mV/degree. The book covers the general principles and theory, material preparation and measurements of thermoelectric materials, thermoelements, thermoelectric systems, and applications. The majority of the book covers nanobase materials and applications, including thin-film structures. Material scientists, engineers, academia, and students working in the field of thermoelectric materials would find this book provides a wealth of information in a convenient single source.

Book Reviews [6 Books Reviewed]

The following 6 books are reviewed: Micromachining Using Electrochemical Discharge Phenomenon, 2nd Edition; R. Wuthrich and J. D. Abou Zik, William and Andrew; Introduction to Radiometry and Photometry, 2nd Edition; W. R. McCluney; Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology for Composites; A. K. Haghi, S. Thomas, A. Pourhashemi, A. Hamrang, and E. Klodzinsk; Optical Properties of Functional Polymers and Nano Engineering Applications; V. Jain and A. Kokil; Handbook of Energy Volume II: Chronicles, Top Ten Lists, and Word Clouds C. J. Cleveland and C. Morris; Solar Energy Photovoltaics and Domestic Hot Water; R. H. Plante.

Book reviews [7 reviews]

The following books are reviewed: Physical Methods for Materials Characterization, 3rd Edition Flewitt, P.E. and Wild, R.K.; 2017); Power Microelectronics — Devices and Process Technologies, 2nd Edition (Liang, Y.C., et al; 2017); Transmission, Distribution, and Renewable Energy Generation Power Equipment—Aging and Life Extension Techniques, 2nd Edition (Chudnovsky, B.H.; 2017); Solidification and Solid-State Transformations of Metals and Alloys (Elorz, J., et al; 2017); Energy Storage in Electric Power Grids (Robyns, B., et al; 2015); The Physics of Thermoelectric Energy Conversion (Goldsmid, H.J.; 2017); and Dielectrics in Electrical Fields, 2nd Edition (Raju, G.G.; 2017).The following books are reviewed: Material Selection for Thermoplastic Parts; (M. Biron, William Andrew); Design and Applications of Nanostructured Polymer Blends and Nanocomposite Systems; (S. Thomas, R. Shanks, and S. Chandrasekharakurup); Greens Functions with Applications, 2nd Edition; (D. G. Duffy); Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology for Composites; (A. K. Haghi, S. Thomas, A. Pourhashemi, A. Hamrang, E. Klodzinsk); Power System Harmonics and Passive Filter Designs; (J. C. Das); Experimental Combustion; (D. P. Mishra); Low Temperature Plasma Technology; (P. K. Chu and X. P. Lu).

Book Review [7 Book reviews]

The seven books reviewed in this issue are: Power System Transients (Martinez-Velasco, J.A., Ed.; 2010); Inorganic Nanowires (Meyyappan, M. and Sunkara, M.K.; 2010; Dielectric and Related Molecular Processes, Volume 2 (Davies, M., Ed.; 1975); Robert Lacostes The Darker Side (Lacoste, R.; 2010); Nanotechnology - Volume 6: Nanoprobes (Fuchs, H.; 2009); Electrical Codes, Standards, Recommended Practices and Regulations (Alonzo, R.J.; 2010); and Annual Review of Condensed Matter Physics, Volume 1 (Langer, J.S.; 2010).

Book review [8 books reviewed]

The eight books reviewed are: Radiometric Temperature Measurements¿Applications (Zhang, Z.M., et al; 2010); Nanoscale Physics for Materials Science (Tsurumi, T., et al); Diamond Nanotechnology (Sung, J.C. and Lin, J.; 2010); Microfabricated Power Generation Devices (Mitsos, A. and Barton, P.I.,Eds.; 2009); The Circuits and Filters Handbook, 3rd Edition (Chen, W.; 2009); 4D Electron Microscopy (Zewail, A.H. and Thomas, J.M. ; 2010); Fuel Cells (Gou. B., et al.; 2010); and Insulators for Icing and Polluted Environments (Farzaneh, M. and Chisholm, W.A.; 2009).

Book reviews [eight reviews]

The following books are reviewed in this issue: Concise Encyclopedia of the Properties of Materials Surfaces and Interfaces (Martin, J.W.; 2008); The Physics and Chemistry of Nanosolids (Owens, F.J. and Poole, Jr., C.P.; 2008); 51 High-Tech Practical Jokes for the Evil Genius (Graham, B. and McGowan, K.; 2008); Advances in Imaging and Electron Physics, Volume 151 (Hawkes, P.W., Ed., 2008); Radar Handbook, 3rd edition (Skolnik, M.; 2008); How to Become an Expert on Anything in 2 Hours (Hartley, G. and Karinch, M.; 2008); The Vacuum Interrupter - Theory, Design and Application (Slade, P.G.; 2008); Annual Review of Materials Research, Volume 38 (Ruhle, C., Ed.; 2008).

Book reviews [8 books reviewed]

The following eight books are reviewed: Electrotechnical Systems (Perelmutter, V.M.; 2013); Electroacoustics (Kleiner, M.; 2013); Transformer Engineering (Kulkarni, S.V. and Khaparde, S.A.; 2013); Graphene - Synthesis, Properties, and Phenomena (Rao, C.N.R. and Sood, A.K., Eds.; 2013); Understanding Smart Sensors, 3rd Edition (Frank, R.; 2013); Fundamental Principles of Polymeric Materials (Brazel, C.S. and Rosen, S.L.; 2012); Extruded Cables for High-Voltage Direct-Current Transmission (Mazzanti, G. and Marzinotto, M.; 2013); and Thermoelectrics and Its Energy Harvesting (Rowe, D.M., Ed.; 2012).The following books are reviewed in this issue: Excel for Scientists and Engineers (Billo, E.J.; 2007); Parameter Estimation for Scientists and Engineers (van den Bos, A.; 2007); Charts for Prediction and Chance (Markus, M.; 2007); Speak to Win (Tracy, B.; 2008); Sensors and Actuators in Mechatronics (Pawlak, A.M.; 2007); Handbook of Nanoscience, Engineering. and Technology, 2nd edition (Goddard, W.A. et al., Eds.; 2007); Stratagem - Deception and Surprise om War ( Whaley, B.; 2007); Handbook of Plastics Processes (Harper, C.A., Ed.; 2006).

The Lightning Flash [Book Review]

This is a good technical book on electrical discharges and lightning mechanisms. Teachers in power engineering would find this book a useful addition to a power engineering course. Students and those interested in lightning and gaseous breakdown will find this book very easy to read and well worth the price of the book.

Introduction to Physical Polymer Science, 4th Edition [Book Review]

This is a classic reference text that has been updated and revised to include some recent developments in polymer science, including topics on nanocomposites, DNA and proteins, and glass transition of nano-thin film plastics. Although the coverage of the new topics does not do them justice, the strength of this book remains in the fundamentals. Some of the topics covered include: the basic structure of common polymers; chain structure; molecular weights; concentrated solutions; the amorphous state; the crystalline state; glass transition; cross-linking; and polymer blends. The text is well written, and there are many illustrations, photographs, graphs and tables. The book is easy to follow and understand and is highly recommended as a basic text on polymer science or as a textbook for undergraduate studies. It could also be used by engineers and scientists working in the filed who need a good book on fundamentals.

Electrical Properties of Polymers, 2nd edition [Book Review]

This book will be of general interest to many readers of Electrical Insulation Magazine, especially those who are beginning work in the areas of conducting polymers and electro-active polymers and those looking for a very good review of modern theory on electrical conduction in polymers. Students in polymer engineering and polymer physics will find it to be an excellent resource. The book is filled with hundreds of references and has many suggestions for further reading.