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Comprehensive Chemical Kinetics, Vol. 37, Applications of Kinetic Modelling, Edited by R.G. Compton and G. Hancock, Elsevier, Amsterdam. ISBN 0-444-50164-9; $421
144
Book re6iews
authors of this chapter (Peled et al.) seem to have misunderstood a paper by Zaban et al. (Ref. 25 of their chapter, JEAC 348 (1993)), related to impedance spectroscopy of lithium electrodes. Chapter 7 describes important aspects related to liquid electrolyte solutions, including the classification of solvents and salts, structural and conductivity features, electrochemical stability and basic surface reactions of important electrolyte solutions on electrodes at the lower and upper limits of their electrochemical windows. Chapters 8 and 9 relate to solid electrolyte systems, polymeric and ceramic/ solid oxides containing salts. Both reviews are concise and comprehensive. Chapter 10 describes separators for Li-ion batteries, an important issue that definitely should not be ignored. Finally, Chapter 11 concludes the book with a description of materials for high temperature batteries. Most of the above chapters, although quite short and concise, deal in depth with many important aspects related to R&D of many kinds of Li batteries. They provide a very useful data base of references on the extensive work invested in this field over the last three decades. Several authors have raised subjects in the book that emphasize their personal views, and this definitely deserves more discussion. However it is legitimate that monographs such as the chapters of this book reflect the opinion of the authors, especially when these authors are renowned experts in their fields. In general, most of the contributing authors have attempted to provide balanced and broad overviews of the subjects that they reviewed. I would like to conclude by stating that this book is an important contribution to the field of energy storage and conversion, and will be useful for any research group involved in electrochemical and material science related to power sources. I highly recommend its purchase. D. Aurbach PII: S 0 0 1 3 - 4 6 8 6 ( 0 0 ) 0 0 6 3 8 - 1
Comprehensi7e Chemical Kinetics, Vol. 37, Applications of Kinetic Modelling, Edited by R.G. Compton and G. Hancock, Elsevier, Amsterdam. ISBN 0-444-50164-9; $421 This is Vol. 37 in the series Comprehensi6e Chemical Kinetics edited by R.G. Compton and G. Hancock, more specifically one in Section 10 ‘Modern Methods, Theory and Data’ comprising volumes 24 to 37. In this same series previous volumes 26, 27 and 29 have been devoted to electrochemical kinetics. The present volume is not restricted to electrochemical kinetics, but interest for electrochemists is raised,
both from a general cultural point of view as for all volumes in this series, and also by the fact that the book is dedicated to Professor W. John Albery on his sixtieth birthday (1996) with contributions from his former students, co-workers and colleagues in the UK and world-wide. A dedication at the beginning has been prepared by M.L. Hitchman. The book is concerned with the use and role of modelling in chemical kinetics and seeks to show the interaction of experiment and theory in a number of fields such as electrochemistry, interfacial chemistry, physiology, biochemistry, solid state chemistry and chemical engineering. The volume consists of 19 chapters authored by 44 scientists mainly from the UK but also from Denmark, USA and Portugal. The first chapter is an introduction to the theme of interaction of theory and experiment in reaction kinetics by Nobel Prize Winner Rudolf A. Marcus, illustrating a number of examples of such interaction in 10 different fields. The next two chapters are purely electrochemical, dealing with modified electrodes for NADH oxidation (Bartlett et al.) and with the electrochemistry of DNA (Oliveira Brett et al.). After a chapter on the application of kinetic modelling to the skin (Hadgraft), Ulstrup et al. discuss the application of cyclic voltammetry and in situ STM and AFM to two-dimensional layers of metalloprotein adsorbates. The next two chapters are devoted to the study of the kinetics of partitioning between different solvents, a topic related to the movement of molecules in biological systems (Fisk et al.), as well as to redox mediated whole cell biosensors (Haggett). An overview on photoelectrochemical kinetics at semiconductor electrodes, given by Peter, is complemented by another on electron transfer processes in colloidal semiconductor photocatalysis by Boxall. The next four chapters are of an electrochemical nature and closely related to each other: hydrodynamic modulation methods (Williams et al.), AC impedance spectroscopy of polymer films (Mount et al.), electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) applied to kinetic problems (Calvo et al.), ion and solvent transfer in polymer films (Bruckstein et al.), which also describes the use of EQCM. Predictions of the performance of membrane separation processes are then discussed (Bowen et al.), as well as diffusion coefficients (Fisk et al.) with emphasis on a new approach. Electrochemical problems are again met in a chapter by Brett dealing with reactions in microvolumes, followed by kinetic considerations of CVD processes by Hitchman. Finally, the mechanism of methanol electro-oxidation (Hamnett), a classical and debated topic is followed by the last chapter devoted to vesicles in aqueous media (Misran et al.). The volume ends with a fairly detailed subject index. On the whole this volume is a valuable addition to the series. Breadth and depths of the chapters are vari-
Book re6iews
145
clear and accurate on good quality paper. Illustrations have not been made sufficiently uniform: in one chapter there appear hand-written labels. The book is of interest for a wide range of people in the area of physical chemistry from electrochemists to surface and solid state chemists, from physiologists and biochemists to chemical engineers. However, in view of its varied content, the cost makes the volume hardly approachable by individuals.
able, but this is unavoidable in a multiauthored book, especially if topics descend from the authors as usually happens with volumes dedicated to persons. For the same reasons, the coverage of topics can hardly be exhaustive in the various areas encompassed by the theme. Timeliness: with very few exceptions, the most recent references are dated 1997, which suggests that manuscripts were completed in early 1998. The Preface is dated July 1998. Presumably, printing required 6–12 months. All together, not too bad, although articles now appear in journals issues 6–8 months after their submission. The volume, hardcover, is robustly bound. Printing is
S. Trasatti PII: S 0 0 1 3 - 4 6 8 6 ( 0 0 ) 0 0 6 3 9 - 3
Publishers wishing to ha6e books (in the field of electrochemistry) re6iewed should send them to the Editor-in-Chief.
.
Book re6iews
authors of this chapter (Peled et al.) seem to have misunderstood a paper by Zaban et al. (Ref. 25 of their chapter, JEAC 348 (1993)), related to impedance spectroscopy of lithium electrodes. Chapter 7 describes important aspects related to liquid electrolyte solutions, including the classification of solvents and salts, structural and conductivity features, electrochemical stability and basic surface reactions of important electrolyte solutions on electrodes at the lower and upper limits of their electrochemical windows. Chapters 8 and 9 relate to solid electrolyte systems, polymeric and ceramic/ solid oxides containing salts. Both reviews are concise and comprehensive. Chapter 10 describes separators for Li-ion batteries, an important issue that definitely should not be ignored. Finally, Chapter 11 concludes the book with a description of materials for high temperature batteries. Most of the above chapters, although quite short and concise, deal in depth with many important aspects related to R&D of many kinds of Li batteries. They provide a very useful data base of references on the extensive work invested in this field over the last three decades. Several authors have raised subjects in the book that emphasize their personal views, and this definitely deserves more discussion. However it is legitimate that monographs such as the chapters of this book reflect the opinion of the authors, especially when these authors are renowned experts in their fields. In general, most of the contributing authors have attempted to provide balanced and broad overviews of the subjects that they reviewed. I would like to conclude by stating that this book is an important contribution to the field of energy storage and conversion, and will be useful for any research group involved in electrochemical and material science related to power sources. I highly recommend its purchase. D. Aurbach PII: S 0 0 1 3 - 4 6 8 6 ( 0 0 ) 0 0 6 3 8 - 1
Comprehensi7e Chemical Kinetics, Vol. 37, Applications of Kinetic Modelling, Edited by R.G. Compton and G. Hancock, Elsevier, Amsterdam. ISBN 0-444-50164-9; $421 This is Vol. 37 in the series Comprehensi6e Chemical Kinetics edited by R.G. Compton and G. Hancock, more specifically one in Section 10 ‘Modern Methods, Theory and Data’ comprising volumes 24 to 37. In this same series previous volumes 26, 27 and 29 have been devoted to electrochemical kinetics. The present volume is not restricted to electrochemical kinetics, but interest for electrochemists is raised,
both from a general cultural point of view as for all volumes in this series, and also by the fact that the book is dedicated to Professor W. John Albery on his sixtieth birthday (1996) with contributions from his former students, co-workers and colleagues in the UK and world-wide. A dedication at the beginning has been prepared by M.L. Hitchman. The book is concerned with the use and role of modelling in chemical kinetics and seeks to show the interaction of experiment and theory in a number of fields such as electrochemistry, interfacial chemistry, physiology, biochemistry, solid state chemistry and chemical engineering. The volume consists of 19 chapters authored by 44 scientists mainly from the UK but also from Denmark, USA and Portugal. The first chapter is an introduction to the theme of interaction of theory and experiment in reaction kinetics by Nobel Prize Winner Rudolf A. Marcus, illustrating a number of examples of such interaction in 10 different fields. The next two chapters are purely electrochemical, dealing with modified electrodes for NADH oxidation (Bartlett et al.) and with the electrochemistry of DNA (Oliveira Brett et al.). After a chapter on the application of kinetic modelling to the skin (Hadgraft), Ulstrup et al. discuss the application of cyclic voltammetry and in situ STM and AFM to two-dimensional layers of metalloprotein adsorbates. The next two chapters are devoted to the study of the kinetics of partitioning between different solvents, a topic related to the movement of molecules in biological systems (Fisk et al.), as well as to redox mediated whole cell biosensors (Haggett). An overview on photoelectrochemical kinetics at semiconductor electrodes, given by Peter, is complemented by another on electron transfer processes in colloidal semiconductor photocatalysis by Boxall. The next four chapters are of an electrochemical nature and closely related to each other: hydrodynamic modulation methods (Williams et al.), AC impedance spectroscopy of polymer films (Mount et al.), electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) applied to kinetic problems (Calvo et al.), ion and solvent transfer in polymer films (Bruckstein et al.), which also describes the use of EQCM. Predictions of the performance of membrane separation processes are then discussed (Bowen et al.), as well as diffusion coefficients (Fisk et al.) with emphasis on a new approach. Electrochemical problems are again met in a chapter by Brett dealing with reactions in microvolumes, followed by kinetic considerations of CVD processes by Hitchman. Finally, the mechanism of methanol electro-oxidation (Hamnett), a classical and debated topic is followed by the last chapter devoted to vesicles in aqueous media (Misran et al.). The volume ends with a fairly detailed subject index. On the whole this volume is a valuable addition to the series. Breadth and depths of the chapters are vari-
Book re6iews
145
clear and accurate on good quality paper. Illustrations have not been made sufficiently uniform: in one chapter there appear hand-written labels. The book is of interest for a wide range of people in the area of physical chemistry from electrochemists to surface and solid state chemists, from physiologists and biochemists to chemical engineers. However, in view of its varied content, the cost makes the volume hardly approachable by individuals.
able, but this is unavoidable in a multiauthored book, especially if topics descend from the authors as usually happens with volumes dedicated to persons. For the same reasons, the coverage of topics can hardly be exhaustive in the various areas encompassed by the theme. Timeliness: with very few exceptions, the most recent references are dated 1997, which suggests that manuscripts were completed in early 1998. The Preface is dated July 1998. Presumably, printing required 6–12 months. All together, not too bad, although articles now appear in journals issues 6–8 months after their submission. The volume, hardcover, is robustly bound. Printing is
S. Trasatti PII: S 0 0 1 3 - 4 6 8 6 ( 0 0 ) 0 0 6 3 9 - 3
Publishers wishing to ha6e books (in the field of electrochemistry) re6iewed should send them to the Editor-in-Chief.
.